Let Us Be Your Poison
by GodSaveTheKings
Summary: Ruby was never meant to be a Huntress. Weiss was the daughter of the enemy. Blake was burdened by a secret past. Yang was haunted by whispers in her mind. In a world on the brink of war, where dark and mysterious things lurk in the shadows, four students discover that their best chance of survival is through each other... if they don't tear themselves apart first. AU.
1. Rosebud

**Note: Hi, there. The following story is part of an ongoing effort to rewrite the original series of RWBY into a more adult-oriented AU. Our primary goal in writing this is to transform the World of Remnant into the dark fairy tale that we always felt it could be while trying to maintain as much of the original story structure as we can. This is an alternate retelling of the story of RWBY, and so while you may see all the familiar pieces, they may not play all the same roles you expect them to. Also, when we say that this story is dark, we do very much mean that. Our writing can get pretty heavy at times, but we do try to make sure that there are still fun elements to keep you engaged.**

 **To more accurately reflect the feeling of viewing an anime/manga/television show, we've divided the story into multiple different arcs. If you're a new reader, we would always recommend starting from the beginning, but if you're returning and you want to get to any of the story arcs in particular, you can skip to the following arcs like this:**

 **The Inauguration (Main Arc 1): Chapters 1-14**

 **The Final Test (Main Arc 2): Chapters 15-20**

 **Lazydays at Beacon (Side Arc): Chapters 21-24**

 **The Stolen Book (Main Arc 3): Chapters 25-32**

 **Team ATMC (Side Arc): Chapters 33-34**

 **The Long Weekend (Main Arc 4): Chapters 35-52**

 **Lulls in the Aftermath (Side Arc): Chapters 53-56**

 **The God's Arm (Main Arc 5): Chapters 57-Ongoing**

 **Our current plan is to cover Volume I, but it is likely we'll go beyond into additional volumes due to fan request. As such, this page will be continually updated with more information as the story continues into the distant future. If you like the story, please consider following/favoriting us, and always tell us what you think down below. Your feedback is an incredibly helpful tool to make the story better. Thank you, and enjoy.**

* * *

 _In the Beginning, there was Light, and through the birth of the Soul, Humanity was born. Beings of Love and Energy, they spread throughout the land, using their intellect to craft vast societies and create tools to survive the harsh wilderness. Their numbers swelled, and for hundreds of years, they ruled over Remnant with Peace and Tranquility._

 _But then, there was Darkness, and with Darkness came the Grimm._

 _Creatures born without Souls, the Grimm lived with but a single purpose: to Consume the essence of every living creature in the World of Remnant. Driven by Fear and Anger, the Grimm hunted down Humanity and slaughtered them by the thousands, consuming their Souls and with it, their very Essence. Their darkness grew across the land, and with it, so did their power. In time, the whole world was covered in Shadow, save for a few precious patches of civilization, struggling to maintain their glow in the dimming Light. For a moment, the World seemed Lost._

 _However, from the greatest darkness came a Spark of Hope. A single human, full of Courage, was able to harness the power of their Soul, and push back against the Grimm. This human became known as the first Huntsman. Using the Light within, the Huntsmen fought against the tide of Grimm, forcing them back into the Darkness. Humanity began to recover, and over time, they reclaimed Remnant in the name of the Light. In the Event that the Grimm ever returned, Humanity elected the Huntsmen to serve as their Guardians, Defenders of the Light—_

"And coolest people in the whole world!" Ruby shouted, jumping up and down on her bed. Summer pursed her lips.

"Ruby. No jumping."

The toddler groaned, and grudgingly shifted back under the covers. "Fine, mom."

"Good," her mother said with a pleased nod. "Now, where was I?"

"Defenders of the Light," Ruby squeaked.

"Ah, yes," said Summer, clearing her throat. "Guardians, Defenders of the Light, Protectors of Remna—"

Ruby's hand shot into the air, and Summer paused, staring at the child with an amused smirk.

"Yes, Ruby?"

"Did the Huntsmen use Dust to fight off the Grimm?"

"No, I don't believe so," Summer stated. "Dust was only discovered and refined a few hundred years ago. They did not have it back when this story takes place. The Huntsmen used the powers of their Souls."

"The power of their Souls?"

"Yes. The Soul is a very powerful source of energy that rests inside every Human being, and with proper training, you can learn to use your Soul in a whole bunch of different ways. You can use it to generate Aura, which is a bit like a shield, or use it to give you more strength, or use it as a Semblance."

"Coooooool," Ruby moaned with delight. "And how does all that work?"

"That's a bit more complicated," Summer explained. "Maybe we'll talk about that when you're older."

"If you're a Huntress, does that mean you can do all that stuff?"

"Yes, it does."

"And can dad do all that stuff, too?"

Yes, he can."

"And does that mean—"

By this point, Yang, who was trying her best to shove her head into a pillow and sleep, had grown completely tired of the current conversation, and decided to voice her opinion on the matter.

"Ruby, you ask the same questions every night," shouted the six-year-old. "I'm trying to go to sleep."

"Oh, Yang, you don't like my bedtime story?" asked Summer.

"I like the story," said Yang, "but Ruby has made you tell it for the past two weeks. I'm really tired, and I have school in the morning, so I want to go to bed now so I wake up early."

"Sweetie, we both know you aren't waking up early tomorrow," Summer said slyly. Ruby crossed her arms, and pouted.

"I bet Yang's just scared that a Grimm is going to come in the middle of the night and gobble her up!"

"Grimm aren't real, Ruby," Yang groaned. "Everyone knows that. It's just a fairy tale. And Huntsmen weren't even formed like that—Dad told me they were made by the Kingdoms to fight other Kingdoms, not monsters. Stop acting like a kid."

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

"Hey, both of you, watch it," Summer commanded with sudden force, and the room became still. The children whimpered in their beds, and their mother relaxed her tone, though her smile did not return.

"Well, it seems like your father and I are going to have a very long talk tomorrow about stifling your imagination," Summer scoffed. She leaned in close to Ruby's ear, and whispered, "Don't you listen to her, Ruby. Huntsmen and Huntresses can be whatever you want them to be. People are always going to try to bring you down, but that's because their Souls aren't bright enough. One day, you're going to outshine them all. You got that?"

"Yep," Ruby nodded enthusiastically. "When I grow up, I'm going to become the greatest Huntress in the whole wide world, and I'm going to be the biggest hero, just like you."

Summer smirked. "That's my girl. Now, how about we do your sister a favor, and let her get some rest. I think she's feeling a little grumpy."

Ruby giggled. "Fine. Can we finish the story tomorrow?"

"Of course," Summer said with a smile. She leaned in and gave Ruby a big kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Ruby. Yang, do you want a kiss, too? Or is that too kiddy for you?"

Yang grumbled. "I want a kiss…"

Summer, ever the angel, obliged, moving swiftly to Yang's bedside and giving her a kiss in equal measure. With a final goodnight, she moved to the doorway, shut off the light, and moved quietly down the hall. Yang mumbled some more, and proceeded to shove her face further into the pillow, but Ruby stayed wide awake, staring blankly at the ceiling. Huntress Ruby Rose. She liked the sound of that. She could not wait to grow up and become the hero from her story books, and she especially could not wait for her mother to finish the fairy tale, so she could continue her wondrous fantasy.

Unfortunately, Summer Rose was never able to finish the story, and Ruby never spoke to her mother again. The very next morning, before the children woke, Summer would leave for a routine assignment, during which she would be arrested on the foreign continent of Solitus for committing acts of terror against the Kingdom of Atlas. Two weeks later, she would be publicly executed by the Atlas military for her crimes, an event which would be witnessed on state-sponsored television.

Ruby would accidentally watch. The color of her mother's blood would haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life.

* * *

 **Eleven Years Later**

In hindsight, walking down a dark alleyway in the middle of the night was the not the best idea Ruby Rose ever had. Granted, she had come up with many worse ideas before, but as the dim light of the shattered moon guided her through the city, she began to list off in her head the many reasons why she believed she made a terrible decision.

Reason One: Cities were dangerous. That fact was becoming abundantly clear by the distant screams echoing off the skyscrapers, the discarded trash littering the floor, and the crude yet passionate graffiti art by her side of a Faunus hanging by its neck, with the ever so polite phrase, "Death to Beastlovers," written underneath it. One would think that the City of Vale—named after the Kingdom itself—would be one of the safer places to go to, but apparently, prestige did not come with hospitality. It was particularly worrisome for Ruby, who understood the precarity of her situation. If she was to see a pretty little redhead walking down a dark alleyway dressed in a black skirt, a long red cloak, and a pair of oval-shaped spectacles, carrying a black briefcase by her side that was half her size, she would probably think that person would be a very easy target for robbery, or murder, or perhaps even a murder-robbery.

Reason Two: She was a long way from home. Patch seemed like a million miles away, and if Ruby was being truthful with herself, she had no idea where she was going. She had a destination in mind—the only Dust shop in Vale that was open past ten o'clock. Yet, no matter how many times she checked her Scroll, she was never sure if she was going in the right direction. Scrolls were very stupid. On top of that, she was worried if she was ever going to make it back to Patch when all was said and done. She already had to bribe a ship captain to even get off the island, and she wasn't entirely sure when he was coming back, if he came back at all. It was very possible she would be trapped in City of Vale forever, until someone came to rescue her, which brought her to Reason Three of why she made a terrible decision.

Reason Three: Nobody knew where she was. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Yang knew where she wasn't. Ruby had told her that she was sneaking out of her window, and that if their father asked where she was, Yang was supposed to cover for her. Still, Yang had no idea that she was miles away, sneaking through the city when she should have been studying for the physics exam she had the next day. Not that she needed to study, of course. She knew the material like the back of her hand. But if her father found out that she wasn't studying, or that she was lying to him, or that she was in the city, or what she had inside the briefcase, he would probably kill her.

Reason Four: Her father was going to kill her.

Ruby had many more reasons to think that coming to the city was a terrible idea, and her analytical mind was sure to list them all out in neat, alphabetical order to mull over for the remainder of her increasingly likely short lifespan. However, reality quickly saved her from her subconscious, as she cleared the alleyway and noticed her destination directly in front of her. _From Dust Till Dawn._ Cute name. Desperate to get out of the openness, she scurried across the road and into the brightly lit shop, throwing back her hood once she shut the door behind her.

The old man behind the counter noticed her enter, and raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he stopped his cleaning. "Hello?"

"Uh, hi," Ruby said nervously. "You are still open for business, right?"

"Yes, for the next hour."

"Okay."

The two stood in silence for a long moment.

"Is there… something you need help with?"

"Oh, right," Ruby said, startled. She nervously adjusted her glasses, and walked to the countertop. With a grunt, she heaved the massive briefcase onto the countertop, and spun it around so the shopkeeper could see, opening up the three latches on its side. "So, I was sort of wondering if you could tell me which types of Dust would go best with this…"

She opened the case, and at once, the shopkeeper's eyes popped.

"My, my… this is quite the model," he commented. "Where did you purchase this?"

"I built it. In my basement," Ruby sheepishly explained.

"Well, the craftsmanship is marvelous," he stated, amazed. "I've only seen one or two models similar to this, but never with such proper conditioning. You should be quite proud of yourself. How old are you, child?"

"Fifteen."

"Really? And where are you from"

"Um, Patch."

"Ah, that explains it. You must be a student at Signal Academy."

"Actually, no," Ruby said casually. "I mean, my Dad teaches there, and my sister just graduated from there, but I go to Southtown High."

"Southtown High?" the shopkeeper questioned. "I've never heard of that Huntsmen Academy."

"Well, they don't teach Huntsmen stuff there," Ruby sighed. "They teach… you know… math, and science, and stuff."

"Hmm," the shopkeeper moaned. He looked back-and-forth between the brilliant technology on the table, and the strange little girl who had walked into his shop just moments before, and after passing his glance between the two of them, he eventually nodded, and gestured to the wide variety of crystals beneath the counter. "Well, normally I would refuse to sell Dust to a minor, but if you really built this like you said you did, I think you'd be able to handle it. As long as you have the money to pay, I'd be willing to part with whatever you want. And I do mean _your_ money, and not your father's."

"Don't worry, I'm covered," Ruby beamed, rummaging through her pockets for the money she kept stowed away. "I took out a loan from the Bank of Patch the other day. They gave me a discount, too: twenty-three percent interest."

"I see. Why don't you take this case, and I'll see what I can find for you?"

"Thank you very much," Ruby said gleefully, hurriedly snapping shut her case. As the shopkeeper went into the back room, Ruby's eyes drifted around the room. It was a very nice store. She assumed as such, given that she had never set foot in a Dust shop before, but that did not dampen its beauty. She was most impressed by the variety of Dust available. She did not even know that the ancient material came in so many variants, shapes, and sizes. There were dazzling fire crystals lined beneath the countertop in glass casings, and row after row of Dust powder, each ready to be dispensed like delicious, extremely volatile candies. And, best of all, in the far back corner of the shop, buried behind shelves of Dust so that almost nobody could spot them, were loads of instructional magazines.

Instinctually drawn to the need to learn, Ruby lugged her case over to the back corner, placed it gently on the ground, and took a seat on top of it while she perused the available reading material. She eventually settled on a small pamphlet helpfully titled, "Guns and Dust: How to Make Your Weapons Spark!" Encouraged by the snappy headline, Ruby opened the pamphlet, and was immediately disappointed by an assortment of facts she was already very familiar with.

 _Dust is an extremely dangerous material, and should only be used by trained professionals… Dust can be mined in twelve separate pure crystal forms... For use in ranged weaponry, two types of ammunition can be chosen: bullets and blasters… Bullets are small pieces of metal that are placed inside cartridges, which are special containers lined with explosive Dust to propel the metal forward when triggered… Blasters use the full force of the Dust's raw power… Most weaponry can fire guns, but only specially designed weapons can sustain the energy of firing a blaster… Blah blah blah… Blah blah blah-blah-blah._

Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check again.

Ruby, with a bored sigh, shoved the pamphlet back into place, and searched for something else to read. Something new, preferably. She didn't skip study night so she could learn nothing, after all. It was as she was rummaging through the many other attention-grabbing pamphlets—of which her favorite was titled, "How Not to Kill Yourself"—that she heard the sound of the door to the shop opening wide, and the hard tide of numerous turned towards the entrance, and studied the five men who had suddenly entered the store in the dead of night. It didn't take long for her to notice that something was off about them. It was the way they dressed, four of them in tight, black suits and dark sunglasses, despite the fact there was clearly no sun. If that wasn't suspicious enough, there was the manner in which their leader dressed—clad in white, with a bowler's hat, chomping on a thick cigar, letting the smoke rise through his crooked smile and bright orange hair. His face almost looked familiar, but Ruby couldn't quite put her finger on where she had seen him. Was it on a television? Was he an actor? No, that didn't seem right. Maybe she saw him on a poster? A wanted poster? A mugshot?

 _Oh,_ Ruby realized. _That was Roman Torchwick. Shit._

Before Ruby even had a chance to panic, Roman lifted up his cane, and brought it down hard against the countertop, destroying it with a damning crack. Ruby recoiled, but the infamous outlaw merely smiled, taking another puff on his cigar.

"Helloooooo?" he called out in a sing-song voice. "Anybody back there? We'd like to make a purchase." When a few seconds passed, and no response came, Roman turned to one of his henchmen, and gestured with his head. "Go get him."

The henchman nodded, jumping over the broken counter and storming into the back room. Ruby, mostly out of sight in the far corner, heard a battered cry, and a moment later the man returned, dragging the shopkeeper behind him and throwing him at the feet of his boss. Roman, still smirking, tossed the cigar into the shopkeeper's face with a disinterested flick of the wrist. They hadn't noticed her.

"Well, hello there, sir," Roman said mockingly. "I was wondering if you would like to sell me some of your fine product today?"

"Please… don't kill me," begged the shopkeeper.

He wasn't going to kill the shopkeeper. Ruby knew that for certain. As she scoured the depths of her mind for details on Torchwick, a few select crimes immediately bubbled to the surface. Robbery. Fraud. Arson. Destruction of property. Occasional battery. But murder? It wasn't in his repertoire. He liked to keep those he attacked alive, so they could tell stories about his charm, and his cruelty. He had an ego that constantly needed to be satisfied, and though he would steal and destroy as much as possible to project his own strength, he would never do something to ruin his classy image. He was there for a robbery, nothing more. Ruby tucked that information away for later, just in case things got ugly.

Roman continued to chit-chat with the shopkeeper, but Ruby had stopped paying any attention to their dialogue, as her focus shifted to what was in his hands. She picked up what information she could from behind her cover. The cane: metallic, thick on the bottom, finely crafted. Too finely crafted to be a standard model. It had to be specially made just for him. He clearly didn't need it to help him walk, so two options: he used it to complete his fashion ensemble, or it was a weapon. But what kind of weapon? The thickened end would be perfect for bludgeoning and the handle could be used as a hook for defense, but it granted him a short reach and was ineffective. Perhaps there was a blade hidden between the handle and the base? No clear separation though, at least not that she could see. And a blade would be too risky if he wasn't looking to kill.

Her eyes focused in on his fingers. There was a small breaking point in the paint just beneath his grip. A trigger. Her eyes traced down the cane to its end. A latch on the bottom. It was a gun. No, not a gun; a cannon. The shape of the cane didn't leave much room for mechanics, so it must have been a simple cannon. He would pour Dust in through the opening, where it would rest safely in the metal shielding until he pulled the trigger, striking the primer buried beneath the bend of the hook and launching the exploding Dust out the other end. It would be a last-ditch effort to escape capture; the Dust couldn't be launched with enough force to cause any lethal damage, and it would be nearly impossible to reload. If he missed his shot, he would be nearly defenseless.

Ruby's eyes darted to the other men, and she studied their attire and their weaknesses. Sunglasses: somewhat useful in the bright shop, but made things more infinitely difficult to see in the dark outside light. Black button-down shirts with red ties. Choking hazard. Difficult to move the shoulders. Black dress pants: again, no flexibility in the legs. Dress shoes. Slippery soles. Didn't add any height advantage. Probably wouldn't get hurt too badly if she was kicked by them. The outfit was for intimidation purposes only; nothing they wore would prepare them for an actual fight. The only weapons in sight were visible hanging from their belts. Pistols, specifically Vale 22-Commondor Pistols. Fired bullets. Eight shots. No visible extra cartridges on any of their bodies. If they were planning on getting into a firefight, they weren't planning on getting out. More likely, they were part of the gimmick, meant purely for show. There was roughly a two-thirds chance they weren't even loaded.

Ruby quickly glanced at the door. She had no idea if the noise from the break-in had attracted any attention, or if the police had been called. For all she knew, no help was coming for her. It was her and the shopkeeper against an army of five. An army of five drastically underprepared for an actual fight. She looked down at her briefcase, and quickly ran the numbers in her head. Ten percent chance she escaped and contacted the police in time. Fifteen percent chance the police arrived at the scene too late to stop Roman. Twenty-five percent chance the police showed up anyway and arrested them both for disrupting the neighborhood. Ten percent chance she died because she vastly overestimated her abilities. Another ten percent chance that Roman just kicked her ass. And about a twenty percent chance she actually managed to be a hero and stop the bad guy.

One out of five odds. One untrained girl vs five dangerous criminals. She liked those odds.

"Hey! Store's closed, you big jerks!"

Instantly, she got the attention she was looking for. Roman, who was gripping he shopkeeper by the throat, dropped his victim and spun on his heels to face Ruby as she slowly emerged from the back, carrying her briefcase by her side.

"Well, what do we have here?" Roman cooed. "Are you lost, little girl? This city's no place for someone like you."

"You five are going to leave, right now," Ruby demanded, unfazed, "or you're going to get hurt."

" _Wow_ ," Roman said, feigning enthusiasm. "Little Red is going to _hurt_ us, boys. Do you, by any chance, have the slightest clue I am?"

"Yeah, an idiot with a terrible fashion sense," Ruby replied casually. Roman's smirk vanished.

"Oh, you think you're smart, don't you?"

"If you want, I could also insult your terrible haircut."

Roman shifted his posture, and tightened his grip on his cane. He was getting annoyed. Good.

"Look, kid," Roman muttered, "You really do not want to do this."

"I don't. You can leave now, and this will all be over."

"Right. Dom, take care of her," Roman grunted dismissively. One of the henchmen nodded, and without hesitation, approached the young girl in far over her head. As he moved closer, he drew a gun, and as she stood in defiance, trying her hardest to keep all of her insecurities from showing. She couldn't afford to show how much she was starting to regret her decision, which was only made harder when the henchman pulled out the pistol, and pressed the barrel directly against her forehead.

"You know, my mother taught me never to hit three things: a woman, a child, and someone wearing glasses. So, out of courtesy, I'm going to give you one chance to walk out of here. You got to the count of three. One…"

Ruby held her ground. Despite her instincts telling her to strike, she did not move a muscle. Maybe it was the sudden shock of having a gun placed to her head, but she didn't feel like she was actually about to die. If she was really in danger, she would have felt it, but instead, she was perfectly calm.

"Two…"

Or maybe that meant nothing. Maybe she was absolutely about to die, and the fear had overtaken her so that she couldn't react anymore. Maybe she was in shock. She would be killed right then and there and no one would ever know about it. She could already picture her gravestone: "RIP Ruby Rose: Died because she was too stubborn to move when held at gunpoint."

"Three…"

The henchman placed his finger on the trigger. He was shaking. She blinked. That gun was loaded.

"I'm not messing around here!"

Nope, that gun was totally empty.

Without a moment's delay, Ruby swung her leg back, and delivered a furious kick between the henchman's legs. He let out a pained cry, and fell to his knees, clutching his wounded parts. He gaped up at her in shock, only for Ruby to grab her briefcase with both hands and swing it as hard as she could, striking him in the head and knocking him out cold. Roman watched him fall with shock, before locking his eyes on the pretty little redhead who just took out one of his best enforcers.

He sneered. "Okay. So _that's_ the way you want to play it."

With a tilt of his cap, his henchmen charged. Ruby hurriedly unlocked the latches on her briefcase, just as the first of the men took a wild swing at her head. Maintaining her cool, she weaved back to avoid the blow, while letting the goon get in close. Then, before he could recover, she swung the briefcase up into his jaw, sending him flying backward as the momentum of the swing forced the case open. From its leathery interior dropped a metallic red mass, its electrical components condensed into a solid block. Letting the heavy case carry her around, she gathered her energy, and just before it touched the ground, she struck. With a furious yell, she released her case and delivered a forceful wheel kick to the solid metal, sending them both flying. They connected with their targets, knocking both men off their feet. The case soared through the air, but the metal bounced back to Ruby, who snatched it effortlessly out of the air.

Four down. One to go. Roman growled, and took aim with his cane, but Ruby was one step ahead. She channeled her energy into a single point, remembering all the times she practiced in the woods behind her house. All of the successes, all of the failures. She concentrated, and with the adrenaline pumping through her veins, she burst through the front window with a massive red flash, leaving nothing but rose petals behind.

She recovered out on the street as Roman hurried after her. He already lost his range advantage, and all that was left to do was make sure he lost his only shot as well. He followed her through the broken window, and she made sure that she wouldn't be there to take the hit. She dashed to the opposite side of the street, and then back again, crisscrossing the road as many times as she could muster. Roman tried to take aim with the end of his cane, but couldn't risk the shot.

"Dammit, stop moving!" he shouted. "This isn't how this is supposed to go!"

He was right. It wasn't how his night was planned out. He was probably going to make off with the Dust, and continue his crime spree around the entire Kingdom. The authorities would chase him to no avail, and he would sell his Dust to whatever nefarious creatures were willing to pay for it. If he wasn't stopped, there was a good chance a lot of pieces would get set in motion, and people would get hurt. But Ruby refused to let that happen. She was going to be a hero. Just for once.

With another burst of energy, Ruby sprang into the air. Her shadow consumed the sky as she remained suspended in the air, just for an instant before plummeting towards Roman. She threw her arm back, and with a lick, the metal in her hand transformed and took shape. Mechanics clanked and sprung outwards, twisting themselves until they bent and reached a fine point, sharper than any sword. Steam ruptured from its gears as it fixed itself in place, and Ruby grinned as she felt the weapon's weight shift in her hand. Her hood fell in front of her face, but her eyes remained locked on her target as she readied her blade to strike. Roman looked up at her and in a panic, he fired out his only shot: a single fireball aimed directly towards her.

Ruby was waiting. With another burst, she shot herself straight downwards, cutting off her forward momentum. The fireball sailed over her head as she crashed into the pavement, cracking the earth beneath her feet. With a determined scream, she charged forward at blistering speed, and with a bloody flash of rose petals, swiped her blade clean through Roman's arm.

The cane fell first, followed by the flesh itself, and then came the blood. Roman collapsed in shock, falling to his knees, grasping at the piece of him that was no longer there. Ruby took a deep breath, collecting herself after what she had just done. It was the first time she had ever used Crescent Rose against another person before. It felt like such.

"You… you bitch," Roman stuttered through gritted teeth. "You'll pay for this… I have friends… powerful friends who will hunt you down…"

"I don't think so," Ruby said calmly. "I think you're finished hurting people." Her eyes were drawn to his wound, but she forced herself to look away. She didn't do too well with blood. She was fine with violence and weaponry, but seeing the blood up close, smelling it, made it feel a little bit too _real_ for her.

She tried to focus on the good things. She looked back into the shop through the shattered window. The shopkeeper slowly rose to his feet, checking the damage to his store. He would be okay. The store would be okay. The Dust would be okay. Those were the positives; those were what made it worth it. It wasn't something she would ever experience again. Her path in life made sure of that. But for a single night, for a single store, she made a difference. She got to be a hero. Just like the fairy tales. Ruby supposed that would be good enough, because even though the moment was brief, it would forever be _her_ moment, and nothing could take it away from her.

"Freeze! Put the scythe down and put your hands in the air!"

And it was at that moment that Ruby realized three police cars had pulled up to the shop, and several freaked out cops were standing behind open car doors, pointing their weapons at her—the woman who just cut a man's arm off in front of buildings with a whole lot of witnesses. Ruby, expressionless, dropped the weapon, where it hit the floor with a loud clang, and she threw her hands into the air as fast as she could.

Okay. Moment ruined. Her dad was definitely going to kill her.


	2. Something More

**A long boring note: Huh. I guess we're doing this. All right. It's neat to see so many people are already into an idea like this. Just for the sake of it, we should probably explain why we're doing this. We enjoy RWBY, but personally, we think it always had some problems. For us, what really hooked us into the concept was the first trailer, and that beautiful haunting tone it had. So, we were a little disappointed to find out that the actual show itself tended to skew very light. That, and the fact that admittedly, the first season kind of ignores its main cast for about half of its runtime so we can get a bunch of Jaune episodes. The purpose of this story, and the challenge we laid ourselves out for writing it, was trying to recapture the sort of dark enchanted feeling of a classic Grimm fairy tale/dark fantasy, while refocusing a lot of the narrative around the interactions and relationships within Team RWBY itself. We're going to try our best to keep as much of the basic framework of the original intact (four girls go to a school to learn how to fight), but add a bunch of new and surprising twists to make the whole thing a bit juicier. And darker. Seriously, that is the last darkness warning you're going to get. That's not to say there won't be anything charming and fun, but seriously, we might go some places. That's your warning. That's it. Done. Anyway, if you like what you see, let us know. We're usually terrible with releasing new chapter updates, but it has been scientifically proven in the most advanced laboratories that feedback makes write faster. That's not a joke. Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

"You have no idea how much trouble you're in."

That was not a true statement. Ruby was very much aware of how much trouble she was in. She could immediately tell how much trouble she was in when she saw her father march into the police station at two in the morning, with a vicious scowl on his face. She knew she was _really_ in trouble when during the long ride back home, he refused to say a single word to her, no matter how many times she tried to explain herself. And then she knew she was really, really, _really_ in trouble when upon re-entering her home, his first and only command to her was to go to bed, and an explanation that he would talk to her in the morning. He believed that she should have slept and reflected upon her actions before he verbally tore her heart out.

He was foolish to assume that she would be able to sleep.

That was one of the main reasons she was trembling as she sat on the living room couch at precisely 9:30 AM, her father towering above her with his arms crossed, burning holes through her heart with his disappointed gaze. The television was on behind him, where a white-haired newscaster was reporting on a tragedy that had taken place the night before. Ruby only picked up a few words through osmosis—White Fang, transport rig, eight wounded—but enough for her mind to form the building blocks of a rendition of the events. Normally, a terrorist strike like that would consume her attention for hours as she scoured through all the necessary details, but she was distracted by the irony of the fact that her living room was about to become the location of her own personal tragedy.

"Look, dad," Ruby said timidly, "I'm sure you have a lot of questions."

"You're damn right I have a lot of questions," stated Tai. "My first question… what the hell is _that_?"

Tai gestured to the couch, and Ruby nervously glanced at the massive crimson scythe that rested upright against the back, its blade directed toward her head.

"That's Crescent Rose," said Ruby said, crossing her legs.

"What?"

"It's a… steel-bladed scythe that transforms into a bolt-action, .50 caliber sniper rifle," Ruby said quickly.

"Why does it have a name?" he asked, discouraged.

"I gave it a name."

" _Why_ did you give it a name?"

"Because… I might have… built it," Ruby explained.

"You _built_ that thing?" Tai asked, growing increasingly concerned. "What did you build it out of? How did you build it? Who taught you how to do something like that?"

"Well, I built it out of stuff lying around the house, mostly," said Ruby cautiously. "It took me two years. Okay, twenty months. I mainly used pieces of scrap metal from anything that had already broken, or sometimes I bought material online using my allowance money."

"I thought those packages were make-up?" asked Tai.

"No. Machinery. In tiny boxes. Anyway, I made it down in the basement—"

"Okay, okay, never mind that," Tai shook his head. "Who taught you how to use it?"

Ruby gulped. "Um… I _might_ have been receiving some training from Uncle Qrow."

" _Qrow_ " The word left Tai's mouth with disdain. She suspected that he already knew Qrow was somehow responsible. Whenever something went wrong in their household, Tai always seemed to blame his bad-luck-brother-in-law. Usually, it was a sign of frustration, but she knew that the scythe gave her away. Not many Huntsmen knew how to handle scythes, and of those who did, her Uncle was the only one alive to pass on the knowledge.

"He shows up about once a week to help me practice," said Ruby. "We would go out back in the woods, and he would teach me everything he knew. He's been doing that for the past few years."

"Unbelievable," Tai muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I am going to kill that man. I swear to God, if he ever shows up again—"

"He won't!" Ruby stuttered. "I promise, he won't be helping me anymore."

"You're damn right he won't," Tai claimed. "As far as I'm concerned, we're selling that scythe to the scrap yard."

"Wait, what?" Ruby exclaimed.

"And you're grounded for a month," Tai added. " _And_ , you are going to pay me back every coin you spent building this dangerous thing. Quite frankly, you're lucky I'm even letting you off that easy."

"Dad, come on. You're being ridiculous!"

" _I'm_ being ridiculous?" Tai vented. "You've been practicing in the middle of the woods with that homeless lunatic behind my back for years, you spend my money on extremely dangerous weaponry without my consent, and you sneak out of the house in the middle of the night to go to Vale, one of the most crime-ridden cities in the entire Kingdom, all so you can buy Dust, which you're not even legally old enough to get. That is dangerous, and reckless, and so _stupid_ of you. Do you know what could have happened to you in that city? You could have been robbed, or raped, or killed—"

"I was fine!" Ruby protested. "I know how to take care of myself. I fought those bad guys, and I won."

"You got lucky," said Tai. "You're a fifteen-year-old carrying a weapon too big for you, who is way out of her element. If those goons happened to be armed, you would be dead right now."

"They were hurting someone," said Ruby. "I couldn't just let them get away with it. Besides, I had a chance to escape. I only chose to fight them because I knew a hundred percent that I would win."

 _One out of five odds._

"Ruby, can't you see that this is bigger than that?" Tai groaned. "I'm thinking about your future, too. You have an _arrest_ on your record now. That is permanent. Any school or any job you ever apply to is going to know about what you did. And they're not going to pay attention to the fact that you stopped a criminal. They're going to look at the fact that you tried purchasing Dust without a license, and all of the property damage you caused to that store, and the fact that you cut someone's arm off. They're going to take one look at that weapon, and think you're not reliable enough to work for them. Nobody—and I mean _nobody—_ is going to look at what you did and think you are the person that they're looking for."

Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on the door, and Tai groaned. Ruby breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's the mailman. Wait there. This isn't finished."

As Tai walked to the door, Ruby judged her options. The money and the grounding didn't bother her as much, but the thought of losing Crescent Rose, after all the hard work she put into it, was something she couldn't afford. Her first thought was to run upstairs and get Yang. Tai was nicer to his children when they were together, and Yang would certainly argue in her favor. Wouldn't she? Surely, she wouldn't side with her father. Yang wasn't the kind of person who cared about what Ruby did with her life, so long as she did it well. When she snuck out of the house, Yang didn't rat her out; she merely told her that if she was going out to buy liquor, she needed to buy enough for the two of them. That might have been a joke, though. Probably was a joke. It was a joke.

Unfortunately for Ruby, she did not have the chance to think of any other options, because her attention was instantly drawn to her father, who was standing in stunned silence in the open doorway. Ruby strained her neck to peer around him, and when she saw the "mailman" that had garnered her father's attention, the silence overcame her as well.

Ruby did not have objective standards of strength, intellect, or beauty, but it was clear just from a single glance that the woman possessed all three in spades. Her posture: straight. Her shoulders: broad. Her age: late forties. Her blonde hair: pulled back into a bun. Her complexion: fair. Her eyes: green. Her mouth: affixed to a permanent scowl. Her dress: formal. White, long-sleeved, button-down shirt. Black pencil skirt that extended to the knee. Black high heels. Violet handbag made from fine leather. Her purpose: unknown.

"Glynda," Tai muttered nervously. "It's… it's good to you again."

"Hello, Taiyang," the woman named Glynda said plainly. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah. How long has it been? Twenty years?"

"Twenty-six," Glynda said with certainty. "The night of our graduation. I see you've been quite busy since then."

"Well, yes," Tai stammered. He coughed into his hand. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I _was_ sent here on behalf of the Kingdom of Vale. Right now, I'm just admiring your house," Glynda stated calmly. "Mind if I come in?"

"You know, this really isn't the best time—"

"I think it's the perfect time," Glynda stated. "You really would not want to keep me waiting. So, may I come in?"

Tai took a deep breath, and slowly, he moved out of the way, allowing her to step inside the house. Her heels clicked against the wooden floorboards she moved swiftly and efficiently inside. Tai shut the door behind her, and moved quickly towards the stairs.

"If there's something wrong with Yang's admission, I'll go get her—"

"Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with Yang's admission," said Glynda. "I'm here to talk about…"

Her eyes darted around the room, searching, studying, before she finally noticed the terrified girl on the couch, sitting next to a piece of weaponry twice her size. Ruby nearly melted under her gaze.

"Ah, Ruby Rose," Glynda said confidently. "Exactly the person I was looking for."

"H-hi," Ruby responded in kind. She timidly stuck out her hand, which Glynda gripped and shook forcibly. Ruby could have sworn her arm was about to be ripped out of its socket. Glynda cocked her head, carefully observing the girl as she spoke in monotone.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Glynda Goodwitch, Professor of Aura and Semblance Studies at Beacon Academy. Is that your weapon there? On the couch?"

Ruby nodded, mortified to utter a single word.

"Very impressive. It's self-made, I assume?"

"Y-yes," Ruby said meekly. "And it also… turns into a, um, .50 caliber sniper rifle… I'm sorry did you say you're from Beacon? _The_ Beacon? The official Huntsmen school of Vale Beacon?"

"I did, yes."

"And you and my dad know each other?"

"We both went to Beacon when we were students," her father quickly jumped in. "I didn't know she had taken a job there. It wasn't like we were close when we knew each other, anyway."

"Your father and I dated for about ten months before he dumped me," Glynda said with a simple shrug. Tai smacked himself in the forehead. "It's in the past, however, and completely irrelevant as to why I'm here. And although it's true that I never entered a relationship since that point, please do not take it to mean in any regard that your father broke my heart beyond the point of repair. I merely fell in love with my work, is all."

Ruby blinked. "That… okay, I guess…"

"Ruby, do you understand what we at Beacon Academy try to do?" Glynda asked seriously, returning to her mission without missing a step.

"I… yes, I think so," Ruby said, trying to keep track of everything being thrown at her.

"Well?" Glynda asked impatiently. "What is it?"

"You take students from different combat schools in the Kingdom, and train them to become Huntsmen and Huntresses."

"Essentially, you're correct," Glynda explained. "But what are Huntsmen and Huntresses, specifically?"

 _Badass_ , Ruby immediately thought, though she quickly brushed that aside. She tried to pick the answer that would least offend the most likely incredibly dangerous woman in front of her. "Soldiers?"

"Not quite. Huntsmen and Huntresses are—aside from Dust—the most valuable commodity a Kingdom can ever produce. They serve as our first and last line of defense against threats that seek to destroy us from both within and without. They are those who have displayed a mastery of combat techniques, and a mastery over their own Soul, allowing them to perform feats that would normally be impossible. Huntsmen and Huntresses are not just _soldiers_. Anyone can go to a combat training school, or join the Valian military. They are meant to serve as the best and brightest our Kingdom has to offer, and our role at Beacon Academy is not to create soldiers, but to find these people and refine them so that they can best serve Vale, and Humanity at large."

Glynda walked over to the couch, and took a seat next to Ruby, placing her hands on her lap. Ruby awkwardly scooched to the side. Even at close proximity, Ruby could see that the professor's breathing was steady and low, and that her eyes never broke away from their conversation.

"Ruby, do you know how many students are accepted into Atlas Academy every single year?"

"I don't know," Ruby replied honestly.

"One thousand," stated Glynda. "Despite being the smallest of the Four Kingdoms, Atlas accepts nearly one thousand students every year from its military and research schools, and trains them to become Huntsmen and Huntresses, through whatever methods they find… adequate. Haven Academy, in Mistral, accepts roughly half that number. Shade Academy accepts two hundred students every year because of Vacuo's naturally poor conditions. Do you know, Ruby, how many new students Beacon Academy accepts every year?"

Ruby did know. It was difficult for her not to know of the number. When Yang received her acceptance letter, she literally would not stop talking about how lucky she was to have beaten such impossible odds, and how talented she must have been in order to get accepted to such a prestigious school. It was, to be fair, a great source of accomplishment, and Ruby was very glad for her half-sister. But because of that bragging, the number had been burned thoroughly into her brain, and she answered Glynda's question without hesitation.

"Forty. They stay for four years, so there are never more than one hundred and sixty students attending Beacon at any one time."

"Correct," said Glynda. "Vale is the largest Kingdom in the world, with a population of fifty million, and with over one hundred and fifty combat schools inside our borders. We receive thousands and thousands of applications every semester, and if we wanted to, we could accept every one of them. We _could_ create the largest army of Huntsmen and Huntresses in the world. But our Headmaster, Professor Ozpin, follows a very simple yet powerful belief: quality over quantity. Our mission at Beacon is to create the best Huntsmen and Huntresses possible, worth more than a hundred of our enemies. That means we search thoroughly across the entire Kingdom for the best possible students, and sometimes during our search, we are taken to places we did not expect. Today, that place happens to be your doorstep."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're getting at," Ruby said, feeling a strange pang in the back of her throat.

"We are aware of what you did last night in the City of Vale, Miss Rose," claimed Glynda. "Roman Torchwick has been one of the most bothersome nuisances plaguing the Kingdom for years. He's led countless raids against Dust shops and storage facilities, and no matter how many Huntsmen we sent to track him down, he always just managed to escape capture. When he did get captured, he always broke out of jail within the hour, and vanished without a trace. We're already spread thin as it is; with so much space to cover and only so many Huntsmen in the Kingdom, we didn't think we would ever be able to catch him. But then, out of nowhere, _you_ come along and catch him when he's least expecting it—in the middle of an easy heist. And not only do you take him down singlehandedly, but you also took down four of his top lieutenants without breaking a sweat. I saw the footage from the surveillance cameras across the street, and Ozpin agrees with me: You are a _natural_ at this."

Glynda reached out and placed her hand on top of Ruby's, feeling the girl tremble beneath her touch. "Ruby, your talents are being wasted at an ordinary public school like Southtown High, acting like an ordinary girl. Ordinary girls do not build one of the deadliest weapons on the planet in their basement. They don't stop dangerous criminals like they were a random pack of loiterers. Ozpin sees an incredible amount of potential within you, Ruby, just like he saw in your mother, and your father, and now your sister. That is why I—on behalf of Beacon Academy—would like to offer you a four-year scholarship to our school, where you can become a Huntress."

In that moment, Ruby's heart stopped beating, and she died. At least, she was fairly certain that she died, because that was the only logical explanation for what she had just heard. Her? A Huntress? She wasn't supposed to be a Huntress. She was supposed to be an engineer, or an accountant, or _something_ that most certainly was not being a Huntress. She didn't deserve that honor, or that power. That was reserved for people with talent, and she wasn't nearly talented enough. All she did was stop a robbery. She wasn't ready. Yang—she was ready. She had trained her entire life to be a Huntress, and if Ruby suddenly swooped in at the last moment and got everything Yang had ever worked for handed to her on a silver platter, that wouldn't be fair to either of them.

And yet, despite all of that, she couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she accepted. She would become a _Huntress_. An actual, real-life Huntress, and she would get to be a hero. She thought about the moment she caught Torchwick; how the pride soaked through her from saving another life, how the adrenaline pumped through her veins like the greatest drug she had ever taken, how for the first time in years, she truly felt _alive_. Was she really going to waste the rest of her life staring at numbers on a screen? So what if she didn't think she had the experience? Glynda believed in her. Ozpin believed in her. Maybe that would be enough.

Ruby opened her mouth to answer.

"No way."

It wasn't her words that echoed through the room like a shotgun blast. Tai hovered behind the both of them, his face fierce, eyes closed, arms crossed over his body. Ruby went numb, while Glynda merely looked at the bitter man with an emotionless squint.

"She's not going with you. She's staying with me."

"Tai, if you would reconsider…" Glynda began, but Tai cut her off.

"Ruby is staying. That's final. Now get out of my house." Without another word, he stormed away, leading a near-violent trail into the kitchen. Glynda did not move, unfazed by his request. Ruby watched him leave, and she felt a small piece of her break apart inside of her.

"Wait here," she said hastily to Glynda. She chased after her father into the kitchen, where she arrived just in time to see him pull down a wine bottle from the top shelf in the pantry, and fiddle with the cork. It was the only source of alcohol they had in the entire house. He didn't see her enter, or if he did, he was ignoring her. With an unamused huff, Ruby marched over to her father, and gave him a forceful shove on the back.

"Hey, watch it," he grunted, lightly swatting her away to continue fiddling with the bottle.

"What the hell was that?" Ruby asked in a hushed tone. Despite its volume, her voice was fierce. "You're just going to decide what I'm going to do with my life for me?"

"Yes, I am. That's what happens when you're fifteen, and I'm your parent," responded Tai, refusing to look away from his bottle.

"That's not fair."

"That's entirely fair. You're a child. You don't know what you're doing. When I taught at Signal, I saw hundreds of children just like you. None of them were prepared for the real world."

"I'm not just some kid, Dad," Ruby pleaded. "They want to give me a scholarship. They know how strong I am."

"Strength isn't everything."

"Which is why I'm _smart_ , too. And fast, and brave, and everything else they want me to be."

"Ruby, when I retired from my role as a professor," Tai explained, "I did it because I realized that sending children off to become warriors wasn't something I wanted to be involved in. I'm not going to let you go off with Ozpin of all people, so he can train you like one of his little pets."

Ruby bundled her fists. " _Yang_ gets to go to Beacon."

Tai groaned, and finally turned to her, his face bright red. "That's different."

"No, no it isn't," Ruby protested louder. "That is literally you being hypocritical. You are more than willing to send Yang off to the _exact same place_ for the _exact same amount of time_ , with the _exact same_ people, and you actually have to _pay_ for her tuition! Why does she get to train to become a Huntress, while I don't? Is it because she's older than me? Do you think she's just a better fighter than me? Tell me."

"For the record, I don't exactly like the idea of Yang becoming a Huntress either," said Tai, frustrated. "If she decided tomorrow that she wanted to become a pastry chef instead, I would be ecstatic. But we both know that Yang is a firecracker; once she decides she wants to run off and explode, there isn't really much we can do to stop her, so better to make sure she is at least trained properly than to force her to go out on her own. You remember the biker incident."

Of course, Ruby remembered the biker incident. Roughly five years prior, the family of three was driving through the City of Vale when they parked at a local rest shop to use the bathroom. A biker gang happened to be parked in the same area, and Yang—by complete accident—knocked over all of their bikes. When they tried to attack Tai out of revenge, Yang used her Semblance to singlehandedly kick their butts into retreat. As a reward, the twelve-year-old Yang kept one of their motorcycles, which she then taught herself how to ride and customize to her own liking. She still kept it in the garage; a permanent trophy of one of her earliest conquests.

"So, is that your qualification now? Beating up criminals counts as proof that we're ready to become Huntress, because if so, I have a lot of evidence I'd like you to take a look at," Ruby said angrily, her voice no longer in a whisper.

"I don't know what else you want me to say," Tai moaned.

"I want you to be honest with me," Ruby demanded. "Why won't you let me go? Do you really think I'm not capable of doing it? Are you just mad that I didn't tell you about my training sooner, so you want to sabotage my whole life?"

"Sabotage? Is that what you think I'm doing?" Tai asked, outraged.

"It sure _feels_ like it," Ruby sneered, losing control. Every moment of anger from her entire life suddenly rose to the surface, and she couldn't stop herself from letting it out. "Every day, all you make me do is study, and read, and stare at a wall until my head was filled with nothing but numbers. I never had any friends because you would never let me play with anyone because that detracted from the time I could have been learning another stupid multiplication trick. You raised me to be cut off from everyone, so I could succeed, but I don't feel like I've ever succeeded at _anything_. You are more than content to watch me spend the rest of my life in a box than watch me be happy. I don't _want_ to go to Southtown High. I don't _care_ about applying for some stupid job. All I want is the chance to actually _be someone_ , and they are finally giving me the chance to do it, but all you want to do is chain me down."

"You _really_ don't seem to get it, Ruby," Tai shouted. "Being a Huntress doesn't make you anything! It certainly doesn't make you a _hero_! It doesn't come with fame, or glory, or power. Huntresses don't change the world, or defend the Kingdom. Huntresses _die_. That's what they're best at. That's the reason why there's always such a shortage of these people; not because they're so valuable, but because they're easy to discard after their done. I've seen Yang in action, and I know she can handle herself, but you are not at all prepared for what the world has to offer. This isn't a damn fairy tale, and you aren't going to get any happy ending! You're going to end up dying for these people, just so they can turn around and pretend that you've never existed in the first place! I know you think you can, but you _can't,_ and I'm not going to lose you, too—"

And like that, for Ruby, everything snapped into place, and her anger disappeared. Tai was breathing heavily, and he did not seem to notice the tears running down his cheeks. His face turned dark, and he forced himself away from his daughter, finding solace in staring at the unopened bottle of wine. His shoulders moved up and down as he tried and failed to collect himself. Neither of the said nothing for a long moment, but finally, he managed to choke out a single sentence.

"You have her eyes… you know that?"

Ruby didn't know what to say. She didn't think there _was_ anything else to say. Not knowing what to do, Ruby unclenched her fists, carefully approached her father, and gently wrapped her arms around him.

"Dad… you _know_ she would have wanted me to go," Ruby begged. "I have never asked you for anything my whole life. Never. Not once. I know it can't be easy to watch us both go, but… being a Huntress, being able to live out beyond all of _this_? That's all I've ever wanted. I promise you I'll be safe. Yang will look after me, and I'll talk to you every single night if you want, just… I want to be _myself_ for once. Please…"

No more words were exchanged. They simply felt each other's company, father, and daughter, knowing full well that it might be the last time they had a moment like that for a very long time. Five minutes later, Ruby emerged from the kitchen alone, where Glynda was standing ready to meet her. Ruby approached her in stride, sticking her hand out, ready for anything.

"I accept your proposal," Ruby said confidently. A small grin cracked on Glynda's face, and she proudly shook Ruby's hand. Ruby shook it back, making sure to keep a tight grip so as not to lose her arm.

"Very well, Miss Rose. I believe you've made a wonderful decision. If I'm not mistaken, you are currently taking some summer classes, but you can unenroll from those rather easily without worrying about the consequences. Now, the semester starts in about a month, but its never too early to start planning—"

"Hey! Dad! Ruby! There's a super fancy car parked outside!"

Glynda was cut short as her and Ruby's attention was suddenly drawn to the stairwell. Yang bounded down the stairs, and was halfway down before she noticed the company staring at her from the living room, and paused. Her face was dreary; she had clearly only woken up a few seconds before deciding to parade herself downstairs. Her long blonde hair was disheveled, flowing and poking up I every direction imaginable. That was not the most obvious indicator that she had just woken up, however; _that_ would have been the only thing that Ruby and Glynda were actually looking at, which was the fact that was only dressed in her extremely fitting yellow underwear, her body glistening with sweat. Ruby's face turned beet red, and she hurriedly pulled a hand to her face to block her gaze. Glynda merely stared at her, her face unchanging.

"Ah. You must be Yang Xiao Long. The _other_ child," Glynda said calmly.

"Yep. You Ruby's tutor or something?" Yang asked with a disinterested yawn.

"Um, Yang, this is Professor Goodwitch," Ruby stammered. "She's a professor from _Beacon Academy_."

"Oh. Ohhhhhh… shit," Yang said mildly, snapping herself awake. Despite her awareness, she did not bother speaking nor acting with any urgency. "So, what you're saying is… it's probably a bad idea for me not to be wearing any clothes, isn't it?"

"Probably, yeah," Ruby said, stumbling over her words. Glynda continued to examine her with tepid enthusiasm.

"Now, that level of fitness… _definitely_ a trait picked up from her father," she commented mindlessly.

"Yang. Please. Clothes. _Now_!" Ruby said with increasing desperation. Yang rolled her eyes and flashed a relaxed smile as she headed back up the stairs.

"Fiiiine. I'll put on something for this obviously important meeting," she paused just before she vanished from sight, turning around to Ruby to give a knowing wink, "unless you don't _want_ me too."

"Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod."

"Jeez, Ruby, you are so easy!" Yang called out teasingly from upstairs.

"Do you enjoy making me uncomfortable?" Ruby cried back.

"Yes! I really do!" Yang responded proudly.

Ruby hung her head in embarrassment. She would have to go to school with that woman from now on. Maybe Beacon wouldn't be so great after all.


	3. The School on the Waterfall

**Note: Hey, new chapter. Fair warning, this is where some of those creative liberties start coming in. There's an AU warning for a reason. We're trying to judge how far we can push this thing, so if you like what you see, let us know. It'd be really helpful. Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

"Okay, so let me get this straight? You stopped the biggest criminal in the entire Kingdom singlehandedly…"

"Yeah…"

"…earn the right to become a Huntress on a full scholarship despite zero professional training _and_ the fact that you're two years too young…"

"Yes, Yang…"

"…where you are going to be placed in incredible danger every day for the rest of your life."

"Yes, yes, _yes_ , Yang, we've already established this!"

"…but the thing that is freaking you out is having to _talk_ to people?" Yang blurted out. Ruby shrunk beneath the protection of her crimson hood, hoping no one on the airship was paying attention to her. It was an unguided fear; the interior of the airship sent to deliver them to Beacon's doorstep was nearly the size of her house, and there were only about a dozen other students on board spread out across the entirety of the lounge which made up a majority of its space. Beacon spared no expense in travel. The room was littered with pleasantries, from a television as wide as a car plastered against the wall, to a billiards table set up in the middle of the room, to a great glass window which made up the whole of the western wall, through which the students could peacefully watch the crystal clear lake hundreds of feet beneath them, or stare out at the vast green forest that melted into the horizon. Of course, Ruby wasn't really focused on any of that, because she was too busy huddling in the corner with her sister and her anxiety, next to her compact suitcase carrying the few belongings she was allowed to bring with her, and her weapon briefcase, which she held with a forcible grip.

"This was all a terrible mistake," Ruby concluded, concealing her gaze. Yang lovingly rolled her eyes.

"Come on, you're being ridiculous," she sighed. She reached toward Ruby's head to pull her hood away, but her sister lightly pushed back.

"No, no, I'm not," Ruby emphasized. "There is just way too much new stuff going on right now. I don't recognize anything, and we are really high off the ground, and I don't know anything about Beacon even though I probably should, and there's going to be all these people looking at me because I'm so young, and they'll be judging me, and the professors will be judging me, and everything is just going too fast and I can't think and it's driving me _nuts_."

"Ruby, take a deep breath. No one is judging you. I think you might be having a little panic attack."

"I am being perfectly rational," Ruby protested meekly. "Like, what's this whole thing about teams? We have to be on _teams_ together, and we all live together, and eat together, and sleep together—not like that, but _maybe_ like that! I don't know! I can't get to have so many close relationships with so many people at once. I can't have a relationship with one person right. I'll just melt, right into a little puddle. A little Ruby puddle of misery and sadness."

"Ruby, what you're going through is perfectly normal," Yang insisted calmly. "Going to a new school and making new friends isn't going to be as hard as you think."

"That's easy for you to say," stated Ruby. "You're _Yang Xiao Long_. You make friends like it's nothing. How many friends did you have at Signal? That's right: all of them. All of the friends. Every possible friend that could be."

"And you'll have plenty of friends, too," Yang said confidently. "You just have to give it some time. You'll meet people at the class inauguration, you'll chat about weapons for a bit, and bing-bang-boom, you've got some buddies. Easy as that."

"How? How are you so unfazed by this?" Ruby asked desperately. "You are moving away from home forever, going off to a place you've never been, to train to be a warrior for the rest of your life, and I haven't even seen you break a sweat or shed a tear or show any terrible emotion since you got that acceptance letter. How can you seriously be so calm right now?"

Yang crossed her arms, and casually leaned against the metal wall. "Ruby, let me tell you something. You are the smartest kid I know; way smarter than me. But sometimes, that big brain of yours gets you into a whole lot more trouble than it's worth The world is a crazy, unstable place, and trying to break it down piece-by-piece and analyze every single individual bit of it is just going to get you confused. You need to relax a little. Let life take you where it does, and figure it out as you go along. That's how I got into Beacon, and that's how you got into Beacon, too. When that robbery was taking place, did you stand around freaking out about how much trouble you were going to get in, or what everyone thought of you? Or, did you jump into action and kick Roman Torchwick's ass?"

"Well, I freaked out, and _then_ jumped into action."

"Okay, bad analogy, but you get my point, right?"

Ruby growled with frustration. "Yes, I get your point. It's just… ugh, I thought I wouldn't be like this. When I was in that Dust shop, I felt like I could do anything. I felt strong. And now I just feel—"

"Hey, stop it. No negative comments about yourself. You're killing my buzz." Yang snapped. She reached towards Ruby's hood again, but her sister shoved her away once more. Yang pursed her lips, and quickly scanned around the airship for any ideas of how to calm her sister down. It did not take long for her eyes to find what she was looking for, and she smirked proudly as she looked back at Ruby, still clutching her belongings like her life depended on it. Yang gently placed her hand on top of her sister's, and spoke calmly and assertively.

"Okay, why don't you drop that for a minute, and come with me," Yang suggested. Ruby initially resisted, but Yang continued, "Don't worry. No one is going to steal them. We're on an airship, and there are guards everywhere."

The presence of security eased Ruby's mind, and reluctantly, she followed orders, lightly placing down her belongings in the corner. Yang gave a gentle tug on her hand, and slowly led her around the airship.

"You're worried that you don't anything about the school, but you _absolutely_ things about it. So, come on: I'll quiz you, and you can jog your memory? All right?" Yang stated. Ruby shrugged. "Great. First question: how many Huntsman and Huntresses are in Beacon?"

"Yang—"

"Answer it, Ruby," Yang demanded. Ruby groaned.

"One hundred and sixty."

"Ages?"

"Seventeen through twenty-one."

"And how many actually graduate and become Huntsmen and Huntresses?"

"Sixty percent."

"And when do those Huntsmen and Huntresses retire?"

"Age thirty-five."

"So, using basic math, how many Huntsmen and Huntresses are in the Kingdom at any time?"

"Three hundred and sixty."

"That's my girl!" Yang said, delighted. She carefully guided Ruby to the great glass window, though her younger sister never took her eyes off the floor. "And Beacon itself? How many professors are there?"

"Fifteen," said Ruby. Yang casually placed a finger beneath Ruby's chin, and lifted her head.

"And name some of their roles?"

"Well, there's the Professor of Weapon Studies," Ruby said, hazily glancing out the window. "Then the Professor of Huntsmen… Law… and the professor…"

Ruby trailed off, and her eyes went wide. Her knees trembling, she took a step closer to the window, and pressed up against it, unable to utter a single word. She wasn't the only one; within seconds, the rest of the students noticed what she did, and they approached the window in awe, gazing out into the sky at the massive beast that sailed beside them.

The creature was easily the size of the airship, maybe even larger. Gliding by on leathery, green wings, it swooped down beside the window, allowing the students to take in every inch of its scaly hide, its long, winding tail, its neck lined with spikes and ridges, and its maw, which opened wide with razor sharp teeth, and released an earth-shattering cry which reverberated off every chord, sharp and powerful, yet beautiful all the same. Ruby tilted her gaze to the right, and she saw its destination: Beacon Academy, a massive black castle standing proudly atop an overflowing waterfall, beckoning them towards its glorious frame. The beast flashed a golden, reptilian eye at the students, and the dashed forward, overtaking the airship in their final descent toward the school, its long tail cracking behind like a whip.

"Is… is that really…" Ruby stammered. Yang clasped her hands behind her head, satisfied with herself.

"Yep. That's the school mascot," she said smugly. The dragon dipped towards the water, skidding its massive belly against the surface, before shooting up the waterfall, water cascading off its glistening hide. It launched like a rocket, breaking through the waves as it soared toward the castle, eventually landing on the tallest spire it could find, and releasing another proud roar as it clung to its treasure on the peak of the world.

Ruby shuddered. "That is the coolest thing I've seen in my entire life."

"I know, right?" Yang nodded. "Welcome to Beacon Academy."

* * *

The first order of business for the arriving students was to place their belongings in the barracks, an endless room of bunk beds designed to house the new students for the upcoming week of testing before teams were decided upon. Despite the coldness of the room, the assistants that guided the students were friendlier than Ruby anticipated, most likely because they were all sophomores and had been through the same troubles themselves not too long ago. The one woman who guided her and Yang to their respective bunks was a particularly sweet woman named Velvet, whose smile never faded as she recited all her carefully rehearsed dialogue back to the new students.

"You're itinerary for today is light," she explained in quiet tones. "It's two already, and the class dinner is going to be held at five, followed by orientation at seven in the amphitheater, and of course, the Annual New Students Get-Together at eight, where you'll be able to meet all of your fellow classmen."

"That's what I'm talking about," Yang said gladly, effortlessly jumping up to the top bunk. Ruby sat patiently beneath her, paying less attention to the words coming out of Velvet's mouth, and more to the way she was saying them. Her accent was thick and elevated every word that came out of her thin lips. Was that Southern Valian she detected? It seemed to be the case, though Ruby could hardly pinpoint its precise origin due to the many other distractions present. Velvet's uniform for that day was very plain: a pair of tan pants and a white T-shirt which read _Student Assistant_ on the front in big bold letters. However, she had made two notable additions which Ruby could not help but notice. The first was a pair of buttons attached to the left side of her chest. One showed an image of a human hand shaking that of a paw, while the other contained a message written in scratchy ink: _Guns, Glory, and Air Guitars_.

Ruby raised her hand. "Hi, Velvet, quick question."

"Yes? What is it?" asked Velvet. Ruby immediately pointed to her head.

"What's that for?"

The other distraction that garnered Ruby's attention was a peculiar headband that rested atop a smooth patch of brown hair. Two big bunny ears stuck out from the black base, floppy, and pink, yet Velvet treated them respectfully and answered with a smile.

"Oh, these?" she responded sweetly. "These are ears you get from joining the Human-Faunus Alliance club. I'm its vice-president."

"Wait, Beacon has clubs?" Ruby asked, realizing the thought had never crossed her mind.

"Like any other school," Velvet answered professionally. "We try to make sure students get a wide range of experiences here. We might be training to save the world, but that doesn't mean we can't be allowed to have fun or learn about other things. The Human-Faunus Alliance is just one of many extracurricular activities you can take part in."

"Um, follow-up question," Yang chimed in. "Isn't it kind of hard to have a Human-Faunus Alliance when Faunus are banned from attending Beacon?"

"Well… kind of, yeah," Velvet said awkwardly, her delicate façade breaking. "I mean, we try our best with what we got. We organize Faunus rights campaigns with communities outside the school, and we help at a lot of Faunus homeless shelters—really, it's a ton of fun helping out. I promise. And it's also good to raise awareness about these sorts of problems."

"Follow-up question to her follow-up question," Ruby added. "What's that other button for?"

Velvet glanced down at her chest, and a twinge of sadness struck across her face.

"Oh, this?" she said softly. "This is… well, _was_ my team's motto. Team CFVY: Guns, Glory, and Air Guitars. Our leader Coco came up with it because she thought it sounded cool."

"Your team motto?"

"All teams are encouraged to come up with a motto," Velvet explained. "It's supposed to help build unity among students. For us, it was sort of something that Coco came up with on the spot the night we first got together, and it just stuck. Fox printed out the buttons for us to where, but Coco thought they didn't mesh with her outfit. I thought they looked cute, though."

"Why isn't it your team motto anymore?"

Velvet averted her eyes, and gently clasped her hands in her lap. "My, um… team doesn't seem to exist, for the moment anyway. They're somewhere off in the Emerald Forest. I just don't know where."

"Do you know why they're in the Emerald Forest?" Ruby asked.

Velvet squirmed. "Um… this is a really touchy subject with me."

"Ruby, cut it out," Yang ordered.

Ruby zipped her lips, but her mind lurched forward unabated. The Emerald Forest. From what she read of the vast expanse of forest surrounding Beacon Academy, only those with significant Huntsmen training should have been allowed to wander its terrain. There were too many forms of dangerous wildlife and too much risk of getting lost for any student to go there unless under strict supervision. If that was the case, what the hell were a bunch of sophomores doing running around there?

Ruby raised her hand again. "Do you know where the bathroom is?"

"Uh, yes, I do," Velvet said, snapping back to her duties. "Go out the door on your left, down the hall, and take a right. It's two doors down."

"Thank you." Ruby left the conversation as quickly as possible, and rushed out of the barracks. She didn't really need to use the bathroom; she needed time to think. A lot of information was just thrown at her, and she was still dealing with leftover anxiety from the airship. Two weeks was a long period of time for students to go missing. Surely, the school would have sent a search party after them. But why did they let them go in the forest in the first place? Or did CFVY sneak out after hours? That motto screamed anti-authority, after all. And speaking of mottos, was her team going to craft a motto? Would she get a fair, democratic say in the process, or would she get shoved out of it due to her lacking experience in training? She needed experience, and she needed to join some clubs, also. Would the other clubs give her buttons? Buttons were neat.

Ruby did not even realize that she had passed the turn to get to the bathroom, as she had only stared at her feet while lost inside her own head. She didn't even notice what she was doing until she walked smack into another student, accidentally knocking her to the floor and spilling her belongings.

"Ack!"

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Ruby said hastily, leaning down and stretching out her hand.

"It's fine, really," the girl insisted. She scrambled to her feet, brushing off her skirt as she regained her footing.

"No, it's my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going," Ruby panicked, but the girl hushed her.

"Really, it's no big deal." The girl straightened her posture, and maintained a polite smile throughout. She was taking it very well. Almost too well. Yet, Ruby detected no malice in her voice, which was only further surprising as she examined the girl more thoroughly.

The first thing that Ruby noticed was her color, or more specifically, its absence. She was paler than any woman Ruby had ever seen, almost like she had never stepped a foot outside in the sun. Her white hair was placed in a bun which flowed past her shoulders and down her back in a perfect, straight line, and was locked in place with a tiara. Her clothes: short sleeveless dress and a bolero jacket over top. Both white. Her shoes: wedge heels. White. A pair of lace gloves wrapped snugly around her hands. Also white. A white sash around her waist. In addition, she wore two silver necklaces, laced over each other so their pendants rested side-by-side. One bore the mark of a sword; the other, an open book. Every piece of fabric she wore was marked with beautiful stitch work, drawn into patterns of snowflakes and icicles that looped and danced up the ruffles of her dress and the sleeves of her jacket. Her outfit was probably worth more than half the Dust in the Kingdom, and was infinitely nicer than anything Ruby had ever worn. The outfit was only broken up by the dark shadows of black which lined the interior of the bolero, and one oddly misplaced mark of asymmetry: a ghastly thick, red scar that ran vertically across one of her icy blue eyes.

And then there were the belongings that the girl had dropped on the ground. There were the standard three massive cases of luggage that Ruby expected someone with taste to travel with, but then there was also the briefcase that the girl had kept in her right hand, which was currently laying on the floor, unlocked. It had accidentally opened during the fall, but what was inside was gorgeous enough to make her forget all about it. It was only the most impeccably crafted sword Ruby ever witnessed: a rapier made from the finest steel, with a revolving cross guard containing six chambers for Dust vials, and a hilt carved with more delicately woven patterns. Ruby couldn't help but stare at it with an open mouth, which was quite awkward as the girl locked the case suddenly and picked it back up.

"Is that… your weapon?" Ruby asked nervously.

"Myrtenaster? Yes, it's mine—"

"It's _awesome_ ," Ruby blurted out. The girl stared at her, perplexed. "I'm sorry, I mean, I've never seen anything like that before. I love discovering new weapons, and yours is just so pretty and cool-looking, with the blade and the Dust and… I probably sound like a complete psychopath, don't I?"

The girl smiled innocently. "Yeah. A little bit."

"Sorry," Ruby laughed nervously. She adjusted her glasses and timidly stuck out her hand. "Ruby Rose. New student. Nice to meet you."

The girl looked at Ruby's hand, and after a long moment of contemplation, reached out to greet it. "Weiss Schnee. Likewise."

"Schnee? Like the big evil Dust people?" Ruby joked. "That must suck having to share that last name, huh?"

"Well, it would," Weiss said casually, "if I didn't happen to be related to them."

Ruby processed the words, and then like a bolt of lightning, it hit her. The fancy outfit. The pale skin. The white hair. The gorgeous weapon. She was talking to an Atlasian. More specifically she was talking to one of the Schnees— _the_ Schnees—a family with which she held all too deep a personal connection. There were moments when she would dream of meeting a Schnee, or a Tommin, or an Ironwood, and what she would finally do if she had that chance, and Beacon had bestowed that gift to her right then and now.

Her first instinct was to punch Weiss in the face, to hit her right in her perfect rich jaw so hard she knocked out her teeth. It would be sweet. It would hurt like hell, and probably get her expelled, but it would be so, so sweet. It would be easy, too, since the girl had openly let down her defenses. All of the strictest Atlas military training in the world would mean nothing to a swift blow to the face. But Ruby held back. Her fist unclenched before she even realized she made it. No matter how much temporary pleasure she would receive from spilling the pale girl's blood over the clean school floor, it would only be just that: more blood spilled from someone who did nothing wrong. _Weiss was only a child when it happened_ , Ruby told herself. _It wasn't her fault._ The only wrong that day was committed by her, who had just insulted this sweet girl right to her face and was presently considering beating her up for it. Ruby needed to be better than that. Her parents expected more from her.

"I'm… I'm really sorry about that," Ruby said earnestly, slowly pulling her hand away. "I was just trying to make a joke. I didn't—"

"It's okay," Weiss interrupted her, her voice still kind. "You're nervous. It's a big day, and you have a lot on your mind. I understand."

"You do?"

"Truly."

"Oh, thank goodness," Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry, I'm really bad at this whole… talking thing."

"I can tell," Weiss said knowingly. "How old are you, exactly?"

"Fifteen."

"Fifteen? I'm surprised they let a fifteen-year-old in this school?" Weiss asked curiously, folding her arms over her chest.

"It's a long story. I don't think I'm special or anything though. Just trying to make my way like everyone else."

"Trying to make your way through the hallways cleanly?" Weiss asked with a sly grin.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'm clumsy," Ruby blushed. "Once again, I'm _super_ sorry about everything. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you—"

"Actually, now that I think about it," Weiss said thoughtfully, "there _is_ one thing I can ask of you that would really make me feel better."

"There is? Because I'd be more than happy to help," Ruby said enthusiastically, dancing on the balls of her feet.

"Excellent. It's actually pretty simple, and it wouldn't take much work at all for you to handle," said Weiss. "All I need you to do is…"

"Yes?" Ruby asked impatiently, leaning in closer. Weiss smiled proudly at her.

"Kill yourself."

Ruby stared at her, a hopeful expression still plastered on her face. She blinked twice. "Wait… what?"

"Kill yourself," Weiss repeated, still smiling happily. "You know, buy some rope, climb up in some attic somewhere, and just… hang yourself by the neck."

Weiss politely mimicked the motion of wrapping a rope around her head, and gave it a pretend sharp tug, letting her head dangle as a proper example. Ruby just watched, her hopeful smile gradually starting to vanish.

"I… don't get what you're—"

"Ruby—it is Ruby, right? Ruby, take a look at my clothes, will you?" Weiss demanded sharply, still smiling. "Do these look like clothes that should be thrown upon the ground without any warning or care?"

"Are you—"

"And take a look at my name," Weiss continued. "Schnee. A strong, respected name. Does that sound like a name you should insult directly under any circumstances?"

"No… I didn't—"

"Excellent. Now, look right here," Weiss instructed, pointing to the two pendants around her neck. "See, these are symbols of the Faith of Decem Luna. Let me explain it carefully, because I can tell you're a little bit slow. The book means that I'm watched over by the Banker, which means that I could easily buy you, your belongings, and everyone you've ever loved without putting so much as a dent in my credit score. And this sword over here means that I'm watched over by the Knight, which means that I can very easily pick up that sword you keep fawning over and plunge it deep inside your scrawny little chest without a second thought. Is that clear?"

"I-I-I d-don't…"

"I-I d-d-d-don't—what the hell is wrong with you? Did you just develop a stutter in the last two seconds? Did your brain burst from the overwhelming sensation of finally having a single thought? Ruby, this really is not a difficult question I'm asking you. I'm looking for a very simple monosyllabic response, which shouldn't be that much trouble for a toddler, let alone yourself. It's either y-y-yes or n-n-no. So, I'll ask again. Am I being perfectly clear?"

"Y-yes," Ruby squeaked out. "Yes, you are."

The smile instantly wiped away from Weiss' face, and she leaned in as close as possible to the terrified Ruby until her sneer took up the entirety of the scared girl's vision.

"Listen very closely, you undignified slut," Weiss hissed. "You are a nothing. Not a worm, not a speck. _Nothing._ I don't know why the professors would allow someone so utterly worthless into Beacon, but what I do know is that they are wrong. You do not deserve to be here. You do not deserve to be anywhere where anyone can treat you with even the slightest hint of importance. The only thing you deserve is the cold indignity brought by the knowledge that you are a disgrace to everyone you've ever met, and the empty truth that your mother regretted not getting that abortion when she had the chance. I have worked far too hard to get in this school only for an ignorant, incompetent, valueless cretin such as yourself to make a mockery of my talent. If you had any sense of respect for what this institution stood for, you would throw yourself from the waterfall and you would do it gladly. If I ever see you walking these halls again, if you ever try to talk to me, if you ever so much as look at me again, I will _fucking_ kill you. Got it, Ruby Rose?"

Ruby nodded. It was the only thing she remembered how to do.

"Good. Now get out of my way."

With a final huff, Weiss grabbed her belongings, expertly stacked the cases on top of each other, and stormed down the hallway towards the barracks. Ruby watched her go as she finally caught the breath that she had been holding in. She felt the tears coming, but she forced them back. She couldn't cry. She wouldn't allow herself. She wanted Yang. She wanted her father. She wanted to punch that damn Atlas girl in the face. Yet she had to be stronger, and get over it. That was what Huntresses did. But it was hard. Harder than she thought it would be.

It was going to be a long school year.


	4. New Faces

**Note: Fair warning, we might be slowing down on the frequency of updates soon. Lives are about to get real busy again. We'll try our best to keep up. In the meanwhile, here's the last of what we consider our introductory chapters. After this, the fun starts, and that's when we _really_ start to get into some changes. We hope you like what you find. Enjoy.**

* * *

It took everything Ruby had to force Yang to stay in her seat in the amphitheater. She was unable to stop Yang from making somewhat of a scene as her eyes burned bright red, and every filthy word she ever knew flowed from her lips like molted lava, but at the very least she was convinced that she saved the life of the other detestable young woman who was sitting on the other side of the theater, blissfully unaware of the danger that she faced.

"Yang, leave it alone. Please," Ruby begged, tugging down on Yang's arm in a vain attempt to force her into her seat. Her skin was hot to the touch.

"And let her get away with it?" Yang snarled. "Nobody talks to my sister like that. I'll knock that Atlasian bitch's head off her shoulders."

"It's not a big deal. Seriously, I do not want to get expelled," pleaded Ruby. Yang growled in frustration, and threw herself into her seat, pumping her arms in a final burst of anger. The fire burned out within her, and her skin cooled as her eyes returned to their normal shade of lilac.

"Who does she think she is?" she muttered. "Just because she's a Schnee and has all the money in Remnant, she thinks she doesn't need to have basic decency. Who honestly says those kinds of things to another human being?"

"I don't know. Cut her some slack. I'm sure she's stressed out like the rest of us. It's probably the first time she's been away from home."

"You don't have to defend her. You know that, right?" Yang asked. "She's allowed to just be a terrible person without any sort of redemption. Those people _do_ exist."

"Yeah. Maybe…" Ruby trailed off. She looked toward her distant right, where Weiss remained at the far end of the row as the other students finished taking their seats around them. The heiress sat with her legs crossed, and her hands clasped in her waist, her thumbs pressed together at the top. Her right thumb traced small, clockwise, circles around its twin. Her cold eyes remained fixated on the stage, though they occasionally they flickered to the clock strung up high on the wall. Impatience. Not for the speech to begin, but more likely, for it to end. She had placed her weapon briefcase on the only seat next to her. Her exchange with Ruby may not have been as personal as the young Huntress-in-training initially suspected. A new possibility emerged: Weiss simply hated everyone. Why? Yet to be determined.

Her scar. Upon further inspection, it was more complex than Ruby first thought. The wound was deeper than she first thought. It cut nearly a quarter of a centimeter into her skin, and a full one and a half centimeters wide. It passed directly through her eye; the eye itself, however, was undamaged. Strange. Stranger still, its color. Bright red. She had obtained it recently. Very recently. Within the past few months—no longer than a year. What could have caused it? Most likely, an accident. Car crash. Wait, she was rich. Aircraft crash. The engine gave out, and during the fall, she failed to wear her seatbelt—due to arrogance—and cracked her head on the windshield. No, that was impossible. No other physical marks on the body that should have been there in such an accident, and the scar itself didn't resemble anything like a typical headwound. Yang had been in two similar accidents herself, and Ruby studied those wounds enough to know that Weiss wasn't afflicted. The scar was caused by something else. Something more vicious. Something intentional. If Ruby didn't know any better, she would almost say the injury was caused by a sword.

A hush fell over the room, and Ruby's attention was suddenly drawn to the large stage at the front of the room. A large flag was draped in the background carrying the school's insignia: two axes crossed together. To its sides, two torches hung from the wall, each the size of a person, their flames tall and bright. In the center of the stage was a microphone stand, presided over by Professor Glynda Goodwitch, who patiently waited for the students to settle themselves before she started speaking in the same stern yet broad tone that she had when she met Ruby so many weeks prior.

"Good evening, students," she said authoritatively. "We are so glad that you could all join us today. We have students here from all over the world, and it is always a privilege to see such young and fresh faces join our ranks each year. My name is Professor Glynda Goodwitch, Professor of Aura and Semblance Studies, and it is my pleasure to welcome each of you to Beacon Academy."

The students burst into applause. There were a few scattered cheers. Yang gave a whoop, for which Ruby smacked her on the arm. She merely clapped politely to herself.

Glynda waited for the clapping to subside, then she continued. "We at Beacon Academy are tasked with the greatest honor known to Humankind: to take those such as yourselves, and through hard work and dedication, transform them into Huntsmen and Huntresses, defenders of the Kingdom against forces of darkness and malice. The fact that you are seated here today means that you are one of the forty lucky men and women who has demonstrated enough bravery, enough skill, and enough cunning to prove worthy of such a title. You should all feel incredibly blessed to be granted this opportunity, and we certainly hope that you prove yourselves to be the warriors that we know you can be."

The students clapped again. Yang gave another whoop. Ruby smacked her more lightly.

"Now, I understand that you all must be very excited, not only to begin your training, but also undoubtedly for the Annual New Students Get-Together directly after the conclusion of this speech. It is a fantastic chance to meet your fellow classmates and relax on campus, and spend a night eating, drinking, partying, and doing… _other_ things that are inappropriate to discuss in this current environment."

Yang whooped. Ruby smacked herself on the forehead.

"However, before you get too carried away, there are some very important rules that we need to go over concerning the safety of not just yourself, but your fellow students, as well," Glynda said. "I know teenagers are impatient, so I'll try to keep this brief."

The next forty-five minutes of the speech consisted of nothing except Glynda talking. It was astonishing to Ruby how one woman could talk uninterrupted for so long and remember so much, and yet never change the tone of her voice a single time. It was also astonishing how quickly the enthusiasm drained from the room once the students realized that she would never stop coming up with new regulations for them. After the first twenty minutes, Yang started snoring, and Ruby had to shake her before anyone else noticed what was happening. She, on the other hand, managed to absorb most of what was thrown at her, even if most of it was relatively self-explanatory.

The only things that piqued Ruby's interest were the regulations and rules regarding the recent restrictions in their recreational roaming. Students were forced to follow a strict eleven o'clock curfew, and access to the campus grounds was severely limited. More importantly, the Emerald Forest was completely off limits due to the unfortunate disappearances of numerous faculty members and three members of a second-year team over the course of two months. Professor Goodwitch assured the students that they would be protected within the walls of Beacon Academy, and search parties were regularly sent out for the missing parties, but until the problem was solved, their Huntsmen training would be altered—including a change in location for some of the normal team-deciding tests that would occur over the course of the week. It was the only thing that stood out to Ruby because it was the only time the mood of the room shifted from boredom to general unease, and despite her professor's warnings, her mind could not help but wander towards the Emerald Forest, and the dark things that lurked in its shadows.

Eventually, miraculously, Professor Goodwitch cleared her throat, and stated, "I feel like I might have gotten carried away for a moment. All in all, I wish all of you a safe and pragmatic first year, and I'm very proud for all of you. And now, I would like to introduce to you our Headmaster, Professor Ozpin, who would like to share a few words with you."

Glynda left the stage as suddenly as she appeared, walking off briskly down the steps and out the door to the far left without another word. The students simply watched her go, stunned, before quickly turning their attention back to the stage just in time for the actual speaker for the evening to take his place in front of the microphone. A gentle, thankful applause took over the room as they watched the man responsible for everything final make his entrance.

When Ozpin strode out onto the stage, Ruby only noticed the small things about him. The hobble in his walk. The unfamiliar purple pin latched onto his black suit jacket. The way his eyes connected with the microphone and never once greeted the audience. He was old—far older than anyone Ruby had known—but he was still sharp. His mouth was shaped into a frown, and yet the ghost of a smile hovered over it, an echo of a mischievous past. Ozpin hobbled to the microphone and raised a white mug marked with the school's insignia to his lips, taking a long sip of the dark liquid inside. Tea? Coffee, perhaps? Ruby could not tell. Maybe it was even hot cocoa.

When Ozpin finally spoke, his voice was tired, and he never looked up from his drink. "Thank you. I've been feeling a bit… under the weather recently, so I'll get right to it. Tomorrow, your lives are going to start over. Everything you think you know, forget about it. It won't do you any good. Many people have tried to become Huntsmen, and most have failed. I'm not expecting much. Your training won't be easy, but you will evolve and survive it. Or, you won't. That's up to you."

He swirled around the drink in his cup and took another long, slow sip. Fifteen seconds later, he pulled the cup away from his lips. "But that's tomorrow. Today, however, you're still just teenagers. So, go and have your party. Enjoy yourself. While it lasts."

Ozpin took another sip from his drink, shorter than the last. He looked down at his beverage and sighed. He opened his mouth to add something else, but then he shrugged, took another drink, and walked away.

No one applauded.

* * *

The ballroom was gorgeous. Ruby wasn't entirely certain why a Huntsmen academy needed to have a ballroom at all, but she was certainly glad that it did. The second-year students spared no expense in their decorations. Streamers. Balloons. LED lights. Dance music. More food than she knew what do with. Hors-d'oeuvres. Meats. Cheeses. It was a celebration of the end of their normal lives and the youthful activities that they would forever miss out on. And Ruby admired that—from a very healthy distance. Early on in the proceedings, she snuck away to a back corner and decided to watch the festivities from afar, despite Yang's objections. It gave her a chance to study the behaviors of her fellow classmates, which she was certain would help her later during team selection. More importantly, it meant she didn't have to talk to anyone, which was nice.

Yang, on the other hand, blended in nicely, by which Ruby understood to mean that she stood out from the crowd. Yang—Ruby had learned over the course of many wonderful and uncomfortable years—had three settings: Relaxation, Party, and Blinding Rage. Her sister was currently enthralled in the middle setting, as Ruby could tell by the decent sized crowd forming around her as she chugged what appeared to be a pint of non-alcoholic fruit punch. At least, Ruby hoped it was non-alcoholic. The second-years wouldn't spike the drinks. Would they?

Yang slammed her empty glass down on the folding table, and the crowd of ten students around her threw their arms into the air and cheered. Another student in front of her groaned in frustration. He was big and brawny, with short brown hair and a face that screamed arrogance. Yang smirked at him, placing her hands on her hips.

"Come on, Cardin, pay up," she said smugly. "There's no shame in admitting you're wrong."

Cardin grumbled, rummaging through his pockets before pulling out a twenty Lien card and grudgingly handing it to her.

"You're lucky you have such a big mouth," he sneered.

"Hey, it's got its uses," Yang said with a shrug.

"Oh, I'm sure it does," Cardin said, scrunching his face as he thought of a clever comeback. "You should come over to my bunk tonight. Show me what else that big mouth can wrap around."

Yang didn't miss a beat. "Sorry. My mom warned me not to choke on small objects."

The crowd erupted.

"Damn, girl!"

"That was _harsh_."

"Got 'em."

"Hey, shut it," Cardin snapped at them. He stormed off, defeated, as Yang closed her eyes and nodded, pleased with her work. The crowd huddled closely around her, and soon, Ruby could not see her. Her only human connection in the whole room: gone. Well, the only human connection she liked. As she traced Cardin's path through the crowded ballroom, her gaze fell upon the other person she was somewhat familiar with, and from the looks of it, she didn't seem to be enjoying herself either. The Schnee girl finally found herself within company, but as she leaned with her back pressed against the wall and her face turned away from the conversation, Ruby could tell it wasn't pleasant. She could understand why. The boy that was awkwardly churning out awkward chunks of small talk wasn't exactly a looker, with a strangely shaped head, shaggy blond hair that nearly covered his dull eyes and a piece of armor that appeared to be one size too large. He didn't sound very pleasant either, with a shrill, wavering voice that sounded as if it was about to give way and fade into nothingness at any moment. Ruby strained her ears to listen in on their conversation, even though she knew that was morally wrong. But what else was she going do to?

"So, I think it's pretty cool that you're from Atlas," he stammered.

"Uh-huh."

"Like, I don't get to meet very many people from outside the Kingdom. Now that I think about it, I haven't really met anyone outside my hometown, but that's another story."

"Fascinating."

"But Atlas. Great Kingdom. Very cold up there. And dark. Cold and dark."

"I'm sorry, John," Weiss groaned, giving him a dismissive wave.

"It's _Jaune_ , actually."

"I'm sorry, John, but as much as I would love to continue this conversation, I'm afraid I have to get going now."

"Oh," Jaune murmured. "Where do you have to go to?"

"You know, the snack table. The bathroom. My bed. Church. Literally anywhere else but here."

"Well… maybe we can talk some other time then?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure. I can think of plenty of times. Like a hundred years from now. Or never. Are those good times for you?"

"I mean, I was just trying to get to know you," Jaune said innocently. Weiss scowled and finally turned to give him a condescending glare.

"Look, John. I don't know things work in whatever backwater town you grew up in—don't even bother to remind me what its name is—but where I come from, you don't just walk up to a lady and say, 'Hey, girl, what's good with you?' You act like a gentleman, a concept that I'm certain has crossed the cultural border into Vale at some point, so you really do not have any excuses for getting this wrong. I do not care that you want to get to know me. _I_ don't want to get to know _you_. I want nothing to do with you. Now, before you make me get impolite, please get away from me."

"But—"

"What are you waiting for?" Weiss demanded. "How dense are you? I said—" Suddenly, her eyes went wide, and she leaned forward to look over Jaune's shoulder. Her muscles relaxed, and for the first time all night, she seemed to come alive. "By the gods…"

Jaune turned to look behind him, and Ruby followed suit, homing in on the woman that had attracted a sudden amount of attention as she entered the ballroom. Ruby could immediately see why. It wasn't just her outfit—a brilliant set of armor crafted from bronze and gold, complete with a matching circlet and a bold, red sash flayed from her hip—but the way she carried herself that drew the eyes in the room. It was the way she strode confidently into the room. It was her muscular frame, her sparkling green eyes, her vibrant red hair that put Ruby's to shame. When she entered the room, the music faded into the background. A spotlight seemed to shine down upon her, like an angel. She walked into the center of the ballroom, into the midst of the crowd, and the moment she noticed that everyone was staring at her, her dark boots clicked to a halt, and she turned in a full circle, taking in every pair of eyes that were locked onto her magnificence.

She smiled. She waved. She spoke softly. "Hello, everyone. I'm sorry I'm late. Traffic."

Without hesitation, Weiss quickly shoved Jaune away by his face, and dashed over to the woman, taking fast, tiny steps as she made her way through the crowd. She stopped two feet in front of the new arrival, and grinning happily, she gave a quick curtsey.

"Miss Nikos, it's an honor to meet you," she said gracefully. "Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, at your service."

"Oh, hello, Weiss Schnee," the woman responded kindly. She gave a small bow of her own, letting her long, red hair roll past her shoulders. "It's very nice to meet you."

"I have to say, I didn't know that you were coming to Beacon this year," Weiss said with a near-absurd level of admiration. "I thought Haven Academy would have done everything they could have to keep the four-time champion of the Mistral Regional Tournament."

"They most certainly tried, but I felt like it would be good for me to go out and see more of the world," the woman stated, "and the people here just seemed so warm and friendly."

"Oh, the students here are _wonderful_ ," Weiss gushed, placing a hand over her heart. "You will absolutely love it here. If there is anything I can do to help you—show you around, help you unpack, _anything_ —just let me know."

"That is so kind of you," the woman smiled.

"And I know you just got here, but I will add that it is never too early to start talking about team formations. If you are ever looking for someone to partner with—"

Before she could finish, Yang suddenly squeezed between them, accidentally knocking Weiss out of the way. She looked the girl who had stolen the attention in the room up and down, and after a moment of pondering, she spoke casually, "Hey, girl, what's good with you?"

"Oh, I'm feeling quite well. Thank you for asking," the woman said sweetly, transitioning to the new conversation without pause.

"Hey, what the hell are you—" Weiss scowled as she tried to shove her way back into the fold, but Yang threw a hand in front of her face, cutting her off.

"Name's Yang. I like your hair. Looks sweet." She stuck out her wrong hand to shake, but the woman accepted it regardless, never breaking eye contact or breaking her honest smile.

"That's very sweet of you, Yang. My name is Pyrrha Nikos. I'm fond of your hair as well."

"Thanks," Yang said casually, trying to keep up the conversation while simultaneous holding back Weiss as she flailed her limbs to get around her. "The secret is lots of conditioner. Lots of it. Like, three tubes of it."

"That _is_ quite a lot of conditioner," Pyrrha said, taking an interest in the topic.

"I know, right? That shit's crazy expensive," Yang noted. Weiss nearly wrestled her way back to the forefront, but Yang scooped an arm around her waist and threw her behind without much effort. "I could always lend you some if you ever need. I have gallons of the stuff."

"That is a very kind gesture," Pyrrha said, thankful.

"We were in the middle of a conversation!" Weiss shouted from a distance. "You can't just interrupt someone in the middle of their—"

"You know," Yang suggested, "we could totally team up together. I'd think we'd pretty awesome."

"I think it would be very fun to team with you, Yang," Pyrrha stated.

"Yeah, maybe sometime this week, we could get together and—"

"Hi, Miss Nikos. Nice to meet you."

"Pyrrha, wow, good to see you."

"Hey, girl, you're my _idol_."

Before any of the girls knew what was happening, the students began to swarm. One-by-one they jumped into the conversation, introducing themselves and delving out compliments like there was no tomorrow. One-by-one, Pyrrha greeted them with a bright smile and an inhuman level of professionalism, stating that she was proud to meet them. Yang was quickly let in the dust again, lost within an ever-growing sea of eager teenagers, each looking to hog their own moment in the spotlight with the most desired girl in the school.

Ruby knew she had a moment, and she took it. While the rest of the students were distracted, she made her way to the entrance of the ballroom, and quietly slipped out. She was getting tired and knowing that she would probably have to get up early for the testing tomorrow, she wanted to get away from the part as soon as possible. It wasn't like she was missing out. She knew she had nothing to say to Pyrrha Nikos. She had no idea who Pyrrha Nikos was. She just wanted to leave the atmosphere, leave the other students, leave everything behind.

As she exited through the main doors, she hit a small snag: the boy Weiss was talking to earlier, sitting by himself on the floor, his head pressed against the wall in disgrace. Their eyes met briefly, and Ruby thought about fleeing before he could get a word off, until she noticed that he was nursing his wounded back.

"Um… are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'm fine," he said halfheartedly. "Just a little banged up from that shove. That Schnee girl has a real arm on her."

"I saw you two talking. Sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty sure she talks like that to everybody. At least, she talked to me like that."

"I'm not sure if that makes me feel better," Jaune stated, "but, thanks for that. Good to know somebody here knows what I'm going through."

"I know, right?" Ruby sighed. "I miss home already."

"You're telling me. Oh, my name's Jaune, by the way. Jaune Arc."

"Ruby Rose. I'll see you around, Jaune."

"Yeah… see you around, Ruby."

She left him to his own devices with a sad smile on her face. He was probably like her, lost in a role far out of his league. She would have stayed by his side, but she sensed that he might have wanted a few moments to himself. Public humiliation wasn't exactly something to be discussed openly. Ruby walked casually through the long hallways, allowing herself to wander around the magnificent castle without caring much for where she went. She was sure that if she accidentally wandered into a restricted area, someone would tell her, so she moved without fear, simply letting her instincts guide her through empty passageways.

Beacon was beautiful during the night. The ballroom was buried deep within the center of the school, and it took several minutes to walk anywhere else, giving her plenty of time to admire the architecture. The school had been around for centuries, if she was not mistaken. She could not tell how often it had been cleaned and scrubbed, but whoever was in charge of maintaining the structure did a phenomenal job. Every hall was decorated with burning torches and exquisite stonework, reflecting off a glimmering marble floor. She passed by tall, thick windows as the moonlight shone into the castle, and from the light, she could see the faint silhouettes of mountainous terrain stretching on for miles. No one ever came to check on her or stop her; she was simply alone, the only sound being the echoes of her footsteps ascending into the raised ceiling. The castle had stood the test of time well.

Somehow, unintentionally, she found herself by the front entrance, and she felt a cool rush of wind as the night air beckoned to her. Ruby took the call, stepping outside and taking in her surroundings. The dozens of towers that made up the castle stretched high into the clouds, and at the very top she could see the dragon, proud and fierce, watching out into the distance as a silent guardian. A straight and wide path lied before her, and she knew at its end was the waterfall, whose roar was audible even from hundreds of yards away. The only other landmark in sight—which Ruby found herself inexplicitly drawn to—was a fountain halfway down the main avenue, adorned on top with a statue of a Huntsman, sword drawn and ready for combat. Ruby walked over to it, gazing upon it emptily before placing a single hand at its base. Its inscription was plain: _To those lost._

Ruby sighed. "This… this was all a mistake." She gazed up at the statue and felt a bulge in her throat. "You weren't ready. Everyone else has training, and friends, and they're all so capable, and you're… not. You should have just stayed at Southtown like dad told you, too."

She smacked her hand against the base of the fountain. The stone was cold and damp. "You'll never be a Huntress. You should just crawl back under a rock. You're absolutely pathetic."

The statue watched her apathetically. She snapped at it. "What? Do you want to make fun of me, too? You've been around hundreds of years. I'm sure you know what a Huntress looks like, and that means you know I'm not one of them. Say something, you big dumb statue!"

The statue had no comment. Ruby hit a breaking point. It was a great many things that set her off: she was tired from a long day of travel, sick of being away from home, jealous of Yang for blending in without her, and angry at Weiss for confirming every negative thought she ever had about herself. It was for those reasons why she took off one of her boots, and without thinking, tossed it at the statue's head. The stone didn't even blink; the shoe merely fell into the water below with a dull splash, and Ruby groaned, realizing that she just ruined her only nice pair of boots for the dumbest of all possible reasons. She angrily snatched her shoe from the water, and looked away from the carved rock just in time to notice a single, golden eye watching her from within the shadows.

Ruby froze. The woman was shapeless, blending perfectly into the darkness of the school entrance. She could only tell it was a woman at all by straining her vision through the moonlight enough to see a hazy outline of a sharp, feminine face amidst a sea of black.

"Uh… hi," Ruby said awkwardly, holding her moist boot in one hand. "Have you been… watching me this whole time?"

The Shadow Lady stared at her with a blank expression. Then, slowly, she nodded.

"So, you watched me get into an argument with a statue just now… didn't you?"

The Shadow Lady nodded again.

"Look, there was… there was some context to that… I swear I'm not crazy, really."

The Shadow Lady shrugged. Ruby sighed again.

"Forget it," she whispered. She didn't need a silent creature of darkness judging her. She turned her boot over, letting the water pore back into the fountain. She gave it one good shake, and then slipped her foot inside, hissing at the sudden cold. Trying to take her mind off of her embarrassing outburst, she decided she was going to go to bed. The architecture had distracted her long enough. She needed a nap.

"It's not hundreds of years old."

Ruby paused in the entranceway. She turned towards the Shadow Lady, stunned. "What?"

"The statue. It's not hundreds of years old. It's eighty." The Shadow Lady's face was young and calm, but her voice was toneless and broken, like a scratch on a worn-out record. "Beacon refurbishes the castle in secret every twenty years. They like to make it look as old as possible, to keep up the illusion of a legacy. But everything here—it's new. Relatively speaking."

"Um… thanks for telling me," Ruby said cautiously. The Shadow Lady did not blink as she stared calm daggers at her head. "I should probably go off to bed—"

"You're not supposed to be here," The Shadow Lady stated blankly. Ruby blushed, scratching the back of her head.

"Oh, yeah, you heard all that," she mumbled. "Look, you can just forget about everything I said. I'm really tired and I've had a long day and—"

"That's not what I mean," The Shadow Lady clarified, her eyes glowing through the darkness. "There's something off about you. You're different. From the others. What's your name?"

"R-Ruby. Ruby Rose."

"You're young," The Shadow Lady noted dryly. "Too young to become a Huntress, and yet here you are. Why?"

"Well, it's sort of a long story," Ruby tried to explain, "but basically, I stopped some famous criminal from robbing a Dust shop—"

"Don't tell me _how_ you got here. _Why_ are you here?"

Ruby shifted uncomfortably where she stood. The Shadow Lady was succinct, quiet, intent. Blended in the darkness, she felt more like a specter than an actual person. "Ever since I was young, I wanted to be a Huntress," claimed Ruby. "My mom was a Huntress, and she used to read me stories before bed about Huntresses fighting off evil monsters and rescuing princesses. I know they're just fairy tales, but I always wanted to be like them, like her, saving the day. She was my idol, before she—"

"Died," The Shadow Lady finished. "Just like thousands and thousands of others. So why follow after her? Why risk it?"

"Because…" Ruby struggled to answer. "I want to continue her work. I want to help people. Be a hero. Isn't that what Huntresses do?"

The Shadow Lady closed her eyes. Her face did not move, but Ruby could tell she was deep in contemplation. She remained quiet for a long time, not shocked or confused, but simply mulling over the words, as if she honestly could not believe that she had heard them and didn't know what to think. After what felt like hours, she opened her golden eyes and spoke in the same shattered voice.

"Look, Ruby," The Shadow Lady said quietly. "You look like you're a decent person. That's hard to come by in a place like this. So, I'm going to give you some advice: _leave_. Leave this school and everything with it. Don't make friends. Don't attend classes. Just _leave_. Before you lose yourself to them. Before they take it away from you."

Without warning, she left her spot in the shadows and walked peacefully back inside the castle. Ruby watched her as she went, her dark figure phasing in and out of the shadows in the hall.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Ruby called after her. "Take what away from me? What are you talking about?"

The Shadow Lady ignored her.

"Can you at least tell me your name?" she asked desperately.

"You don't want to know," The Shadow Lady responded, not bothering to turn around. "It's better that way."

And just like that, Ruby was alone, standing outside in the darkness. Just her, the uncaring stone fountain, the half-awake beast high above in the clouds, and the distant sound of a roaring waterfall. She didn't feel like returning to bed. She didn't really feel like doing anything. Ruby just stood outside and waited, her only relief coming from the fact that her terrible first day at Beacon as officially over. Tomorrow, the real challenge would begin.


	5. Ruby and the Dark Room

**Note: New chapter time. This is where things really, _really_ start to branch off from the main show. if you like what you see, let us know. It's always good to gauge audience reactions to these sorts of changes. Enjoy.**

* * *

At five in the morning, a loud alarm rang out through the barracks, and Ruby awoke with a violent start. Yang jumped out of the bunk above her, and flopped to the ground with a thud.

"What the hell?" she moaned groggily. The other students started to recover as the stern voice of Professor Goodwitch shattered through the echoes.

"Wake up, students. Your testing begins now. Get dressed and meet me at the main amphitheater in ten minutes. Leave your weapons here, and don't be late."

Ruby shook her head, trying to gather her surroundings. She was just in the middle of a horrible dream. She had been in a field of red roses in the dead of night, and she kept trying to find her way out to no avail. Every direction she ran, a flurry of rose petals would overtake her, blinding her, choking her, forcing her to retreat back into the middle of the illuminated meadow. She felt like she had been trapped there for weeks, lost in a sea of red.

Focus. Ruby needed to focus. More importantly, she needed to get dressed. Did she have time to run to the bathroom? Surely, the professors didn't expect her to get changed in front of all of the other students, including nearly two dozen teenage boys. Did they? She didn't think she could manage that. However, as she glanced over to her sister to ask for advice, she noticed that Yang was already halfway out of her pajamas, far too tired and irritated to are if anybody stared at her. Which, of course, many of them did. It was quite the wake-up call.

"Are you kidding me?" Yang grumbled as she threw on her shorts. "Why would they make us get up this early? We seriously can't take this test when I'm awake?"

Ruby did not know the answer. As a matter of fact, she did not know anything about Beacon's testing methods. She overheard students talking in their bunks for hours about what the tests might contain. She heard too many rumors to keep track of, but there was one constant among all of them: they were brutally, notoriously challenging.

Grabbing a handful of clothes from her luggage, she rushed off to the bathroom to get ready. She remembered its location. Out the door on her left, down the hall, take a right, and two doors down. Her speed Semblance had some uses outside of combat. Within minutes, she had her skirt and hood on and rejoined Yang in the barracks, just as the other students started heading outside. Yang was sitting on the lower bunk, repeatedly slapping herself in the face. The bags under her eyes said more words than she ever could.

"Are you ready to go?" Ruby asked.

"Yuh-uh." Yang gave her body a good shake before sluggishly jumping to her feet. "Time to ace this."

Ruby would have admired her sister's confidence more if she didn't stumble on her way to the exit. As a child, Ruby used to think that Yang was invincible. Her Semblance was the main reason why. Being able to take absorb energy and redirect it outwards meant that she was always able to stride boldly toward any challenge that faced her without hesitation, secure in the knowledge that she would come out on top. It wasn't until Ruby grew older that she noticed Yang's weaknesses more and more, such as how she strode boldly toward any challenge that faced her without hesitation, most of the time without understanding what it was. Or how she had difficulty remembering long patterns or instructions. Or her inability to fight off her greatest enemy—morning. Yang was late to Signal Academy every day of the school year, no matter how many alarms she set which woke up everyone else in the house.

For that reason, Ruby decided it would be a good idea to place a gentle hand on Yang's back and guide her as they headed off toward the amphitheater. "Come on, you can do this," Ruby said encouragingly. Yang took a few practice swings at the air, narrowly missing the head of the student in front of her.

"I know, I know," Yang insisted. "Just have to get my head in the game."

"I don't think the test is going to involve punching anything," Ruby suggested nervously.

"Why not? It's a Huntsmen test."

"Yeah, but then why wouldn't they let us bring our weapons?"

"Unarmed combat?" Yang shrugged. "It's a fighting school. I'm pretty sure the test is going to involve fighting."

"If you say so," Ruby sighed. Secretly, she hoped that wasn't the case. Her unarmed skills had always been mediocre at best—a fact not helped by her pathetic little frame—and she was really hoping to make a solid first impression. She certainly wasn't going to start failing tests at Beacon.

The students moved like a herd of sheep headed toward the center of the school. They were close to their destination when Ruby suddenly spotted a familiar face in the crowd, and elbowed her sister in the ribs.

"Hey, that's her," Ruby said quietly.

"Who?"

" _Her_ ," Ruby stated. "The one I was telling you about last night."

It took a few seconds for Yang to pick her out in the crowd, but from what she saw, she did not seem impressed. The girl blended rather well into the crowd, matching the movement and posture of those around her perfectly. The only features that gave her away were the impossible black of her clumpy, shoulder-length hair, and the occasional glimpse of her golden eyes as she glanced around the hallways for something out of sight.

"Shadow Lady?" Yang asked. Ruby nodded.

"Do you know her?"

"Nnnnope," Yang said, racking her brain. "I didn't see her at the party last night. The way you described her, I didn't even think she was a student."

"Well, she's the one who gave me that super ominous message," Ruby explained. "She kind of freaks me out."

Yang tilted her head in contemplation, sticking out her tongue. "Want me to go talk to her?"

"What—no! Don't do that," Ruby panicked.

"Why not?"

"Because she's _weird_ , and she freaks me out, and that would be really embarrassing."

Yang scoffed. "Oh, please, it'll be fine. I'll just go say hi, and tell her that I'm your sister."

"That's worse. That is just considerably worse," Ruby insisted. "I honestly can't think of anything worse you can do."

"I could ask her out…"

"Ohmigod, Yang, _please_."

The amphitheater cut Ruby's suffering short. The students emptied into the massive chamber, where Glynda waited on the stage, standing in front of the microphone like she did the day before. As the students instinctively took their familiar seats, they noticed a new addition to the stage: behind Glynda, pressed against the back of the wall, was a large grey, metal box, with a single door directly on the front. It was just big enough for the largest student to fit inside, but Ruby could not observe any additional details. No markings. No instructions. Just a box. To its side, strung up on the wall, was a large timer of some sort, reading the numbers: 00:00:00.

Glynda cleared her throat as the final students entered the theater. "Good morning students. I hope you had a good night sleep." The students groaned collectively. Glynda ignored them. "Teams. Since the foundation of this Academy many generations ago, Huntsmen and Huntresses have trained at this school in teams of four. Alone, many of them would fail and falter, but through unity, many of them were able to find extraordinary success. Together, these teams would fight, study, eat, sleep, and train to become warriors, and today, that tradition starts anew. Over the course of this week, the forty of you will compete in a series of tests to determine the makeup of the ten teams that will attend Beacon Academy this year. Is that understood?"

After waiting for the audience's approval, Glynda continued. "Before we begin, there are a few things you need to be aware of. First and foremost, the teammates you get are going to be with you for the next four years, so you better learn to get along. There will be no do-overs, no substitutions, and no trading. All teams are permanent, so get along. Next, as you are probably aware, the process of selecting teams is long and complicated, and because of that, we constantly make adjustments to the selection process. As things stand right now, you will not be able to pick your teammates. Your team will be decided solely by Professor Ozpin, based entirely off of your performances on these seven tests. We used to decide teams by throwing students into the Emerald Forest and seeing who ended up together, but… well, randomness doesn't always produce the most effective results. That, and the lawsuits from students, parents, and animal rights organizations—I'm getting off track. Long story short, we have the final say, so try not to get on our bad side."

Ruby gulped. Ozpin decided their teams? She was hoping to have some agency. What if she and Yang ended up on separate teams? What if they threw her together with a bunch of strangers? She checked beside her to see if her sister shared any of the same concerns, but Yang was too busy trying not to fall asleep to care.

"Now, about your first test," Glynda said, motioning to the large metal box behind her. "You may have noticed this large metal box behind me. For each of your tests, we are going to focus on a particular skill. Today, we are going to be testing your endurance, and to do that, we are going to employ this large metal box. The test itself is quite simple. One-by-one, you will enter the box, where you will receive a very basic set of instructions. Follow the instructions, and then leave through the exit on the other side through the back of the stage. You will be timed on your assignment, and depending on your time, you will be given a ranking from one to forty, the former being the best, and the latter being the worst. Average time to complete is thirty minutes, which is why we've started nice and early. Any questions? No? Excellent. Then we can begin."

Glynda casually walked to the large metal testing box, and pulled open its door, revealing a dark, hollow pit within.

"Your number of entry has been decided by a random draw," Glynda explained. "So, will our first student please come onstage: Miss Weiss Schnee."

Ruby heard a proud, "Hmph!" from within the audience, and like a gopher, the Atlasian girl popped up from her seat nice and straight, and marched toward the stage with her head held high, a smug grin across her face. She walked on the stage to a chorus of utter silence, giving a small nod of approval to Professor Goodwitch as she entered the box. Although it was somewhat satisfactory to watch Weiss descend into a dark abyss, Ruby's joy was limited by the fact that the girl seemed so pleased by it. Soon the door was shut, and the timer began, and Ruby was left to wait.

As the seconds passed by, she knew she would have about thirty minutes before anything else happened, and even then, there was no guarantee that she would be called second, or third, or fourth, or tenth, or twentieth. It was possible Ruby would have to wait for a very, very long time before anything at all exciting happened. So, she did what she always did when she had free time: She let her thoughts wander to dark and terrible places. Like, for example, her first day at Beacon. That was terrible. Objectively terrible. The beds sucked. The party sucked. The classmates sucked. The dragon was… all right, the dragon was cool, but that did not negate the suckiness of everything surrounding it. The only thing that made it palatable was Yang, and that was hardly saying anything, especially given recent developments. Yang could not really be relied on for anything. Proving her own point, she looked at her sister and, sure enough, she had fallen fast asleep, slunk over in her seat with drool coming out the side of her mouth. She had the right idea. It was probably best to go back to bed while she waited for Weiss to get finished. At least then she would be able to distract herself for a nice long—

A loud buzz rang out through the auditorium, and the timer suddenly stopped. Three minutes and eight seconds.

"Test finished!" Glynda declared. Ruby blinked. Already? Weiss couldn't finish _that_ quickly, could she? She doubted that was a good sign—unless she was mistaken, a test of endurance meant she needed to have the longest time possible. What could have gone so wrong?

"Cardin Winchester!" Glynda called. The proud boy stood up and entered the box with confidence, as Ruby sat there, lost in her worries.

What could Weiss screw up? Ruby couldn't let it go. She knew she shouldn't have been bothered. In fact, she should have been happy. Weiss screwing up the first test after all her talk of being superior was dramatic irony at its finest. Except, Ruby and Weiss had very similar body masses, and most likely a very similar range of ability regarding physical endurance which meant that if Weiss screwed up, it only increased the statistical likelihood of Ruby screwing up, and if Ruby screwed up like Weiss, Ozpin might deem the two of them suitable to put a team together, and then Ruby would simply die.

Time flew by rather quickly. Cardin had a good time. At least, she thought he did. She wasn't paying attention to the actual numbers. Instead, she kept her eyes on the floor, waiting for the buzzer to sound signaling the next student to enter the box. A dozen names were called before her, some of them performing well, others not. And the box just waited there, staring at her, judging her, ready to chew her up and spit her out in failure.

"Yang, are you feeling nervous at all?" Ruby asked, glancing over her shoulder. She didn't know what she expected. When did Yang feel nervous? Better question: Why would Yang be awake. But when Ruby looked at her sister, she found a surprising third option. Yang was gone. Ruby quickly looked around the room, her head darting back and forth on a swivel, before she spotted her several rows down by the front of the stands, calmly making her way over to a girl with black hair and golden eyes. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me…"

Yang Xiao Long was never one to balk at the idea of making a new friend. She viewed it—as she viewed most things—as a challenge. When Ruby told her not to talk to the mysterious Shadow Lady, the idea of her _not_ talking to the mysterious Shadow Lady seemed downright preposterous. And so, as she quietly knelt down behind the girl sitting in the front row, casually blocking off the other students behind her, she prodded the girl on a shoulder with a kind smile on her face.

"Hey, there," she said as nicely as possible. The girl looked over her shoulder with a vacant expression. She looked at Yang's smile for a total of five seconds. Then, she turned back around without saying a word. Yang, undeterred, prodded her in the shoulder again. The girl turned around, and Yang made sure to give her a small wave as a show of courtesy.

"Yes?" Shadow Lady asked, suspicious.

"We didn't get a chance to meet at the party last night, and I just wanted to come over and introduce myself. I'm Yang. Nice to meet you."

The Shadow Lady's face remained static. "Ooooookay." Then, without another word, she turned away once again. Yang's smile vanished momentarily, as she tried her best not to get frustrated. Shadow Lady just needed a little push, that was all. She prodded her on the shoulder a third time, and the black-haired girl turned around with the same lack of enthusiasm.

"You apparently had a chat with my sister last night," Yang explained.

"I… did?"

"Ruby. Short. Glasses. Red hair. Sitting over there on the stands," Yang gestured to the seats behind her. For just an instant, a spark of recognition scattered across Shadow Lady's face.

"Oh," she said, mildly surprised. "You're Ruby's sister? That's… interesting."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, you two don't look alike. Or sound alike. Or dress alike. Or act alike. Or share any similarities whatsoever."

" _Half-_ sisters," Yang clarified. "Same dad, different moms. It's kind of a long story. Hey, you never told me your name."

"It's not important," Shadow Lady said dryly. Unperturbed, Yang took the open seat directly next to her, causing Shadow Lady's arms to tense.

"Come on, we're classmates. You can tell me."

"I'd prefer not to."

"Why not?" Yang asked, feigning offense. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"I'd really just prefer not to."

"Please?" Yang begged. "You can't just refuse to tell me your name. You don't get to become friends with my sister and not tell us what we're supposed to call you."

"You're mistaken," Shadow Lady said clearly. "Ruby and I aren't friends."

"She said you seemed pretty friendly to her before."

"Then she's wrong. We're not friends. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to be left alone—"

"Wait!" Yang said hurriedly. She couldn't afford to let the conversation end like that. Out of desperation, she latched onto the first talking-point she could think of. "I like your bow."

The Shadow Lady briefly glanced up towards her hair, where a cute, black bow rested atop its frizzy mass. "It's just a bow."

"I think it looks cute on you," Yang said politely. "Maybe you can give me some pointers. We could go shopping, if you'd be into that."

The black-hair girl grimaced. "Yang, are you like this with everyone you meet?" Shadow Lady said dispassionately. For the first time, she managed to look Yang in the eye.

Yang grinned. "You mean awesome?"

"That's… a word for it," said Shadow Lady. "Look, don't take this the wrong way, but I am _really_ not in the mood to make any friends right now."

"Baloney," Yang said confidently. " _Everyone_ is in the mood to make new friends."

"Well, I'm not. Sorry to disappoint you." She was about to continue, when she heard the loud buzzer echo through the amphitheater, and Glynda called out a name over the microphone.

"Blake Belladonna. You're up."

The Shadow Lady was emotionless as she stood up from her seat. "Look at that. Time for me to go."

She began to walk away, when Yang smugly shouted after her, "So… Blake Belladonna. Hope to see you around soon."

The Shadow Lady—or, "Blake", as they would come to refer to her—did not return the farewell. Yang returned to Ruby as she entered the test, and the timer began for the fifteenth time in the hours that they had been sitting there. The clock just struck nine as Yang took her seat next to her sister, who had watched the entire conversation with flushed cheeks.

"That… that was horrible," Ruby whispered, too ashamed to speak aloud.

"Oh, stop it," Yang said lovingly. "I thought that went pretty well."

"Do you have any shame at all?"

"Haven't found any yet," Yang stated proudly. Ruby groaned. She sat in silence for the next forty minutes, stewing in her own social anxiety. Yang was going to keep talking to Blake, and that would mean Ruby would have to talk to Blake by proxy, and that was a level of uncomfortableness she could not be bothered with. More cryptic messages. More dark glaring. More cynicism. Just perfect. Then, as her mental health was about to shatter, the buzzer went off, and Glynda spoke into the microphone.

"Ruby Rose."

Ruby's breath became caught in her chest, and she glanced around nervously, noticing the eyes watching her every movement. She stood up, straightening out her combat skirt with a few awkward brushes and strutted towards the stage with her head hung low. Glynda opened the door to the box as Ruby walked up the steps onto the stage, and cautiously approached the structure. Its interior was pitch-black, and she could not see within.

"Go ahead, Miss Rose," Glynda directed. Ruby's knees were shaking as she stepped inside, and Glynda closed the door behind her. Within seconds, the hum of the crowd behind her was gone, and she was trapped in emptiness.

All at once, the lights flickered on, and she could see the layout of the room. The box was even smaller on the inside—with some stretching, she could stretch out her arms and touch the opposite walls. Their surfaces were velvety and smooth, designed to keep the sounds of the outside world far away. From the connecting edges between the walls and the ceiling, as well as the floor, Ruby observed four black pedestals directed towards the center of the room, shaped like an "X". On the tip of each was a large red button, placed just close enough where someone of her size could reach them with her hands and feet. On the wall directly in front of her was a screen, and the screen read very simple instructions: "Hold down all four buttons as long as you can. Release one, and the test ends."

"Okay… this isn't what I was expecting," Ruby muttered to herself. She gently placed her hands on the button to her left, and pressed it down with a soft click. "You can do this, Ruby. You just have to hang in place. Easy."

Ruby tested her footing. The buttons by her feet were at slanted, strange angles two feet off the ground, making getting on top of them a challenge. She decided to put her hands in position first for leverage; she pressed the buttons in as she hoisted herself up and onto her left foot, and then, once she got the angle correct, her right foot. Her legs were straightened out completely. Her arms were slightly bent at the elbow. It wasn't exactly the most comfortable position, but she supposed that was the point. Test of endurance. She could manage that.

Then, after giving her a few seconds to finalize her position, the lights in the room went out, and she was stranded in darkness.

There was no timer visible in the room, so Ruby had to keep time, which was easier said than done. She didn't realize how quickly she would lose track of her thoughts once her senses were cut off from the rest of the world. No sight. No sound. Just the feeling of sweat gathering beneath her palms as she held down the buttons with every she had. She didn't even know what she was aiming for. An above average time? The best time in the school? Without a clear goal, it made it harder to concentrate.

She thought the first minute passed her by, though maybe it had only been thirty seconds. She didn't know why it was supposed to be considered a test of endurance. Well, she did know, but she didn't see what was so challenging about it. The pedestals were perfectly placed so that she wasted as little energy as possible. Any further apart, she would have to strain. Any closer, she would be cramped. It was almost like they designed the room especially for her.

Minute two. Her nose started to itch. That was her biggest cause for concern. She wouldn't have minded, but dammit, it _really_ itched. It might have been the worst itch of her entire life. Really? Of all times, she had to get the itch _now_? Couldn't it wait a bit for her to be finished? She twisted her neck, and furiously rubbed her face against her shoulder. It sort of worked. She achieved enough temporary satisfaction where she didn't feel like her face as about to implode, but she _just_ missed the vital spot directly on the bridge of her nose, and she would have to live with that. One slip, and her test would be finished, and Yang would never let her live it down that she failed because of the dumbest possible reason. So, she ignored the itch. For the moment.

Minute three. Okay, _now_ she started to feel it. A few small, burning spots on her arms and feet. Nothing terrible, but noticeable, which almost made them worse. She didn't think it would start to hurt so quickly, but then again, she wasn't exactly used to holding her arms above her head at strange angles. Her feet were worse. The discomfort of pushing downwards with her feet to keep the buttons in place suddenly became a lot more apparent, but Ruby couldn't afford to relax them. She settled for small adjustments, soft wiggles of her heel to shift the pressure around. It would work for the time being. But she needed to focus. Ignore the pain. Like the itch.

Minute four. The screen turned back on. The brightness overwhelmed her. Her hand nearly slipped from its post. Static filled the air. Her eyes flickered, desperately trying to adjust to the light. When they did, they were locked upon a still image: a man, lying down on top of an operating table. He was young, mid-twenties, hair of brown. Fair complexion. Chest exposed. Blue eyes that stared blankly into hers. Ruby watched in silence. He wasn't moving. Seconds passed, but nothing happened. Her arms burned a little more. She didn't understand what was going on, until she saw a pair of hands enter the frame, brandishing a scalpel. She didn't have time to look away before the hands plunged the blade into his chest, and began to carve.

Minute five. The knife moved smoothly through the skin. Ruby watched in horror as the skin on his chest was slowly stripped from the muscle. Her heart was caught in her throat. She couldn't breathe. Her eyes became fixed on the injury, and as the blood started to pool outwards from beneath the exposed tissue, she nearly retched. She wanted to cover her eyes, but her hands were glued to the buttons, locked in place. His eyes kept staring at her. He wasn't dead. His face didn't change, but his eyes screamed in pain. The knife cared away more skin, and the hands threw away whatever meat they no longer needed. There was no remorse in their movements, no hesitation. Just the need to cut. The static vanished, and Ruby could hear every stroke of the blade. She felt a stabbing pain in her own chest, and she realized in that moment just how exposed she truly was.

Minute six. The image changed, and in a flash, thousands of roaches appeared on the screen. Their screeching chatter echoed through the room, blasting in Ruby's ears, like they were huddling inside her own head. She saw their grotesque forms in extreme close-up as they scurried on top of each other, fighting, killing, mating, spawning. She saw the flickering of their limbs, and a shudder ran down her spine. Goosebumps on her arms and legs. The noise was so loud, all-consuming like they were crawling on her skin, under her clothes, inside her brain. She couldn't think of anything but the insects, their inhuman feast, their swarming mass. The test, she realized, wasn't about the buttons, or the pain. _Physical_ endurance wasn't the point.

Minute seven. A new image on the screen. A woman, tied to a chair, a damp cloth pressed over her face. Her fingers were bleeding, stripped of their nails. Her sobs penetrated Ruby's consciousness. Two men stood over her, taking their turns abusing her, groping her, striking her with heavy, blunt objects until he cries were broken and raw. With her long, blonde hair, she looked a little bit like Yang, and that was all the suggestion Ruby's mind needed to picture her sister's face underneath that cloth, contorted in agony. The woman's screams sounded more and more familiar as the men had their way with her, and Ruby couldn't do anything about it. Her arms were shaking in rage, in defiance, in pain from the prolonged exposure. Why would anybody do that to her sister?

Minute eight. Ruby finally gained enough sense to shut her eyes and turn away before the next image appeared. It was crazy. _This_ was Beacon's test? To push her sensibilities to their limit? To drive her insane? What was the point of showing her that footage? Hell, where did they even get that footage? She couldn't believe that they exposed all of the students to that. She couldn't believe someone was able to edit that footage together in the first place. What kind of damn school did she sign up for?

Minute nine. Ruby couldn't bear to look anymore, but she heard everything. A baby crying, sporadically, painfully, desperate for help. Sounds of moisture, of slushing and pounding, of crunching and chewing. She didn't want to know what they were doing to that child, but even with just the sound, it took everything she had not to leap off the pedestals. The erratic cries tore at her heart, and every deep, intrinsically human part of her told her to help, to defend the child from harm, but her libs wouldn't move. Even as the baby's cries grew weaker, and the chewing and crunching and sickening slaps of wettened flesh grew louder, she couldn't move. Whether it was by willpower or by frozen fear, she was trapped.

Minute ten. Ruby's arms and legs were on fire. The pain came suddenly and without mercy. She could barely support her own weight. Everything was too loud. Too violent. Too much. How the hell was she supposed to last another twenty minutes? How was anyone capable of lasting more than thirty seconds in that hellhole? She tried to take a deep breath, but her lungs betrayed her. Her fingers trembled on the buttons. Her boots began to slide. The room was freezing. She just kept her eyes closed and tried to shut it all out. That was all she knew how to do.

Minute eleven. New images. New horrible sounds. She couldn't even imagine what was happening on the screen in front of her. She was going to faint.

Minute twelve. Things began to blur. The pain in her limbs gradually transformed into numbness. The sound slowly faded away. She was starting to get used to it. She was learning the rhythm. She stretched out her limbs further, pressing harder against the buttons. She needed to concentrate. She couldn't let the professors get the upper hand. That was exactly what they wanted. She could outlast them. They were just images. Shock value. She had seen worse in movies Yang showed her without their father's permission. She could survive. She just had to try even harder. Make it to the average. Make it to half an hour. She was Ruby Rose, the youngest student ever at Beacon Academy. Acing tests was what she did best.

Minute thirteen. Ruby didn't mean to open her eyes. For less than a second, by some supernatural force, they flipped opened, and she saw the new image on the screen in front of her. It was video taken from Atlas state television, as shown by the mark in the right-hand corner of the screen. A group of soldiers stood in front of a massive steel wall. A single person rested in front of them, on their knees, hands tied behind their back. It was the same configuration right before the same event.

A public execution.

Ruby's limbs gave out, and she collapsed. She hit the ground hard, and the screen suddenly turned off, and the lights to the room came back on. She was shaking as she looked emptily at the floor directly beneath her, the image flying through her mind faster than she could process it. The screen wall suddenly spread outwards, revealing another door, and a lone figure standing in its entryway. Professor Ozpin, sipping from his mug.

"Just over twelve minutes. Not the best time, Miss Rose," he said calmly. Ruby didn't look at him. Only at the floor. The dark floor. "Come on out now. The test is over. Take a seat with the other students."

Ruby couldn't think straight. She was hyperventilating. That execution. That victim. It hit way, way, _way_ too close to home. She needed to get out of the box, out of the school, out of _everywhere_. Without a word, she scrambled to her feet, and pushed her way past Ozpin. She entered another large room, where the finished students sat around patiently waiting for others to finish. She couldn't visualize the details like normal. She couldn't pay attention. She hurried out of the nearest door she could find, past Cardin, past Blake, past the other faces until she was in the hallway, and she was moving faster than her legs could carry her, unable to control the rapid beating of her heart, and the ringing in her ears, and the flashes of that image in her mind, over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. She didn't stop until she was in the bathroom, until she was huddled over the sink, until she was splashing handfuls of ice cold water into her face.

They had to know. Ozpin put that in there on purpose, knowing it would screw with her, knowing it would trigger whatever nightmares that still lurked inside the dark corners of her mind. That wasn't a test; it was a set-up. To scare her. To humiliate her. To… she didn't know. She didn't really know anything. All she knew was that she was scared, and she wanted to go home, and she felt like her heart was beating so fast it was about to burst out of her chest.

Ruby looked at the reflection in the mirror, trying to regain control of herself. Her face was dripping with water, and her face was burning. But she was there. She wasn't lost. She was in control. She just had to breathe. Breathe. Breathe, slowly, peacefully. Regain control. Become Ruby again. Nobody was going to harm her. She was safe.

It took a few minutes for her to remember how to breathe, but she managed. The test was over. Finished. Done. She would be with Yang soon. Everything would be okay.

That was when Ruby noticed the gentle sobbing. She glanced over her shoulder, where she saw a pair of recognizable high-wedge heels underneath one of the stalls. Weiss. She was crying, and not doing a good job of hiding it, either. Her test had ended hours ago. Had she been in there the whole time? Instinctively, Ruby wiped her face dry on her sleeve, and approached the stall door.

"Um… hello? Weiss?" she asked cautiously.

"Go… away," Weiss snapped. Her voice was clogged and shaken.

"I just want to make sure everything is okay," Ruby insisted.

"I said… go away," Weiss demanded. The vitriol was missing, replaced by anguish. It wasn't trauma. Something more along the lines of pity and loathing. After a moment, Ruby quickly realized what must have happened. Weiss fell just after three minutes, right as the images started coming up on screen. She never had the chance to see them. The sudden noise merely caused her to slip off the buttons, and she had failed the test before it had even begun. Weiss Schnee—proud Weiss Schnee, arrogant Weiss Schnee, vicious Weiss Schnee—lost in the dumbest possible manner, and everybody saw it.

Ruby should have felt satisfied. And yet, she didn't feel anything of the sort. She did not gloat. Instead, she placed her hand on the stall, and spoke in as comforting a tone as possible.

"Hey… hey, it's all right. There's plenty of more tests coming up. I'm sure you'll do great—"

"Go! Away!" Weiss screamed hoarsely. Ruby recoiled from the door. She didn't think there was anything she could say to make the situation right. She sighed, and with nothing else to do, heeded the Atlasian girl's request, and headed back to the other students, the image of the execution still fresh in her memory.


	6. Weiss and the Soul Lapse

**Note: We're back. Now that classes are back, get ready for the wait between chapters to go up, as we're starting to get pretty busy. We'll try to keep everything updated as much as possible. Anyway, we think things have been getting a bit dull, so it's time to switch focus for the moment and get to know a bit more about another member of RWBY. A terrible, terrible, terrible member of RWBY. Enjoy.**

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In the Faith of Decum Luna, there were ten gods, each with their own distinct purpose. Each was true in its values, and to each and every believing Atlasian family, a single god was chosen to watch over them. The family's chosen determined their purpose; whether they were soldiers, artisans, or craftsmen, their legacy was to preserve the integrity of their lord's desires, and if they brought glory to their name, they would be truly blessed in the current life and the next. In honor of tradition, families married to those of similar worship, keeping their practices alive for generations to come. It was a simple system, but it worked for the denizens of Atlas for hundreds of years and was even popular enough to begin its slow spread into Vale, and eventually, the rest of Remnant. It was not difficult to see why; unlike the True Faith of Vale which devolved into vague tales of monsters and beings beyond comprehension, or the Mistran Gods of Arillystos which were uncaring and unkind to the whims of mortals, or scattered beliefs of Vacuo which offered half-hearted explanations to those with nothing in their hearts, Decum Luna was personal. It was meaningful. The gods may have been harsh, but they were merciful and just in their teachings. They loved and respected all who worshipped them. Knowing that something out there was protecting them made a person feel special in a cruel, empty world.

Weiss Schnee _was_ special. Unlike everyone else, she had two gods, and they both hated her. That was the reality of her life, or at the very least, it was the closest to reality that she could accurately determine. It was the only reason she could think of for why they never seemed to be answering her prayers, why everything kept going wrong.

Weiss Schnee's father married Weiss Schnee's mother in a ceremony that many at the time considered taboo. Her mother was protected by the Banker; her father by the Knight. They were two separate worlds mixing together, and that simply wasn't done in Atlas, especially not by those with the wealth and power to act otherwise. But they wed, and they were blessed with three children and a fortune greater than most would ever see in their entire lives. Their lives turned out perfect. Weiss, however, had a different theory. It was her deeply held belief that the Schnees were punished for breaking tradition, for acting against the will of Decum Luna. Their punishment was her—the sad little thing carrying around their honorable name who had just spent hours bawling her eyes out in the bathroom stall of a Huntsmen Academy in the worst Kingdom on the planet.

She had slipped. It was just one slip! The pressure had simply overwhelmed her. Being the first one up on the very first test got inside her head, and she was never comfortable during the process, not even for a second. Her feet were already having difficulty adjusting to their positions on the buttons when the pictures came on, and the static blasted in her ears. She jumped due to the shock, and just like that, her foot slid away, and the test was finished before it even began. She ended up in thirty-ninth place out of forty, only just ahead of that useless dolt of a boy she met at the party the night before. She wanted desperately to show Beacon what she was capable of, and she fucked it up the first chance she got. Just like _he_ said she would.

Weiss didn't get any sleep that night. Even as she lied in bed in the dead of night, she could hear the other students talking about her, whispering to each other about her failings. Worse, directly across from her bunk, located perfectly so she could not look away, was that Ruby girl, still doe-eyed and pretending to care. _Ruby_ didn't have any problems hanging on during the test. Even worse, her crude sister scored the fourth highest time out of the entire class, and would not stop bragging about, almost like she was doing it just to mock Weiss even further. No matter how deep she shoved her head into her pillow, she couldn't unhear them. And then there was Pyrrha—the best of the class—chatting with the other students just out of reach, unaware of the fact that her opportunity to team up with Weiss had forever slipped away.

At least the second test did not start until noon. It gave Weiss time to think, reflect, and most importantly, prepare. She spent the late hours of the night staring at the underside of the bunk above her, strategizing to make sure she did not repeat the same mistakes. Beacon designed their tests to trick and surprise. She knew that now. The key was to maintain her composure. That should have been easy. Composure, positioning, balance—they were the traits drilled into her psyche over and over again during her childhood training. She was under the tutelage of the greatest swordsmen in Atlas; she needed to remember that, focus it into something pure and tangible. She couldn't let them get to her. She couldn't fail again.

By the crack of dawn, Weiss was already out of bed, showered, dressed, and ready to redeem herself. She didn't even feel tired; it was like a raging fire had been ignited beneath her. Before a single other student had opened their eyes, she had taken her weapon out of its case and carried it out to the courtyard. She positioned herself directly in front of the Huntsmen stature, gazing out towards the long entryway leading out to the waterfall. She squared her feet and drew in a deep breath, bringing her sword to attention.

It was a brisk morning by any normal standard, but for Weiss, the cold was comforting. Atlas was a Kingdom born of ice and darkness. Its people descended from nomads who crossed over a land bridge thousands of years before, settling away from the destructive wildlife that populated Sanus. What the settlers did not realize at the time—what they could have never realized—was that Remnant was a planet which had a shifting axis, a phenomenon which was perfectly matched with its revolution around its sun, causing the northern continent of Solitas to be permanently tilted away from its only heat source. Daylight in Atlas only lasted around five hours, which was why Weiss felt it so strange to be up so early with the sun shining brightly on her face.

The other thing that weirded her out was the dragon. They didn't have dragons in Atlas. In fact, they didn't really have dragons anywhere. She was taught that dragons were hunted to extinction years ago. She guessed she as mistaken; Vale destroyed so many species it was hard to keep track of which remained. But seeing one in person, close-up enough to feel the heat of the flames it spewed from its mouth, was almost awe-inspiring. It was enough to send shivers down her spine as it roared from its perch high upon the central tower. Enough to remind her of her own insignificance in the world.

Weiss released her breath, and began her exercises. The movements had been instilled in her since the age of seven. The key was in the precision of her footwork, and the gliding movements of her blade. Elegance was the key to mastery. She did not carry a broadsword or a gun, but a rapier, a smooth and careful instrument. She could never afford to be vague or unclean in her actions. The utmost perfection was demanded of her. As a child, the instructor would reinforce that lesson by smacking her limbs when they moved out of place, or when she missed with a jab, or when she failed to maintain a proper grip. It hurt, but she learned her form quicker than she would have otherwise. And she never dared forget them. She spent hours outside by the statute, just practicing with her sword. None of the professors or students ever came by to bother her. She was allowed to simply be alone with her thoughts, and she made the most of that time to think about how much she hated the rest of her classmates.

Weiss hated the rest of her classmates. There was something distinctly Valian about their personalities that really set her off. The worst by far was Ruby. She normally would hate Ruby with equal passion as the rest of the students, but there was something specifically wrong about her that Weiss couldn't put her finger on. Something about that name combined with that face struck the wrong chord, and she was almost certain that Ruby was hiding something behind that innocent glare. The slutty blonde was second-worst, simply because she would never shut up about anything. Her head was filled with nothing but hot air, the same as the rest of her. The brat who hit on her during the party was third, and the rest of the students followed downwards from there. The only person spared from her thoughts' wrath was Pyrrha. It made sense; aside from raw talent, Mistrans had always been the other culture who had decent manners and values, even if degeneracy was starting to take hold of the Kingdom of the Sea.

That was a problem for another day. A problem bigger than her. Her classmates might have eventually controlled a stake in her future, but at the moment, everything rested upon her shoulders. She almost lost herself while practicing, but she always made herself acutely aware of the time. She wasn't missing the second test, no matter what. She couldn't get distracted, not by her training, not by the dragon, not by Mistral, and certainly not by Professor Goodwitch watching her from twenty feet away with a scowl on her face.

Weiss nearly jumped out of her skin. She snapped to attention quickly, her sword almost falling from her hand. "Professor! I didn't see you there."

"Good morning, Miss Schnee," said Goodwitch. "I see you're out and about quite early. The other students are still asleep."

"Well… I… you know, I thought it would be best to get some practice in before my next test," Weiss said meekly. The words felt strange coming out of her mouth, as if all of her dignity had been stripped away from her. "Have you been standing there for long?"

"Not long enough to be uncomfortable," Goodwitch stated plainly. "For me, of course. You look very uncomfortable."

"I'm not. I'm fine," Weiss said hurriedly. "I just didn't know I was being watched."

"I see, I see," Goodwitch nodded. "It is actually quite fortuitous that I ran into you. I have been meaning to speak with you about some vital matters."

By the gods, they were going to expel her.

"Perhaps it can wait until after the test," Weiss suggested. "I know how important it is, and I don't want to be unprepared—"

"Oh, don't worry about that," Goodwitch said calmly. "You won't be needing that weapon at all for the next test. Come with me."

Professor Goodwitch did not even wait for Weiss to protest before reentering the castle. Weiss glanced down at her weapon. Again? What was the point of testing her for combat school if she wasn't going to use any actual combat? With a beleaguered sigh, Weiss sheathed the sword through a small slip in the belt around her midsection and followed Professor Goodwitch through the castle. The teacher moved fast on her heels, so much so that Weiss was finding it difficult to keep up with her through the many twists and turns as they moved deeper into the school. They passed up two flights of stairs, took another left, took another right, took another left again, walked up a third flight of stairs, and only when Weiss was certain that they were completely lost did Goodwitch come to a sudden halt outside of a tall, thick wooden door placed squarely in the middle of a vast hallway. Goodwitch rustled through her pocket and pulled out a small key, which she swiftly used and made her way inside.

When Weiss stepped inside the office, the first thing that caught her off guard was how tightly packed it was. Despite being surrounded by nothing, the walls were incredibly close together, to the point where the length of the desk in the back of the room blocked the far side off completely. Goodwitch had to practically crawl over her desk in order to sit in her chair, a feat made almost impossible by the other thing that took Weiss by surprise: the limitless amount of sports memorabilia. Her desk and walls were cluttered with bright red figurines and posters for the Pit Vipers, a local Hammerball team. Weiss had only a passing familiarity with the foreign sport; she knew it involved knocking a giant ball into a goal, and each team carried around hammers that were twice the size of their actual bodies, but the particulars of the spectacle alluded her.

"Please, take a seat," Goodwitch instructed her, pointing to the small wooden chair sitting in the center of the room. Weiss awkwardly maneuvered her way through the cramped space and took her seat, hearing the chair creak and groan under her weight. She clasped her hands together in her lap, and tried to remain composed. Goodwitch said nothing further, merely typing away on a holographic interface. Weiss smiled, trying to prolong her sentencing.

"So… you're a big Hammerball fan," Weiss said nervously.

"Hmm?" Goodwitch moaned, confused, before rolling her eyes. "Oh, this? No, can't stand the sport actually."

"…Okay, then. Why do you have so much Hammerball merchandise?"

"My father was a professional Hammerball player," Goodwitch explained. "So were my two older brothers. I'm simply carrying on the family tradition, even though I think the sport is quite dull. You can only see two grown men hit each other with giant hammers so many times before you grow numb to it. What about you?"

"No opinion," Weiss said with an awkward grin. "We don't have Hammerball in Atlas."

"Ah, naturally," Goodwitch claimed. "I forget that Atlas is so—don't take offense—prissy about their leisure activities. I once tried to watch a children's show from Atlas state television. It was something about two puppets who learned about the virtues of how to be a good person. They sang a very bad song about respecting the family at the end of the episode. It was quite dreadful. What was it called again? Lilac and Lily? Tulip and Teal?

 _Violet and Daisy_. Weiss grimaced internally. For a moment, she was taken back. Sitting in front of a television, eyes fixed to the projection. Sunday morning—after church, before practice. Her baby brother whining behind her. A glass of milk by her lap. Bright colors and calming melodies blocking out her mother's drunken rants from the next room over. She could still hear the opening theme, clear as day. _Violet and Daisy, isn't it crazy, how much fun we'll have together…_

"Anyway, I would like to discuss a few matters with you," Goodwitch said suddenly. Weiss regained focus. "First and foremost… your score on the first test."

There it was. "Professor, I promise you that score is not reflective of my capabilities as a Huntress."

"I would love to believe you," Goodwitch stated, "but you must understand how that looks. It wasn't just one of the lowest scores in the class. It was one of the lowest scores we've ever recorded."

Not helping. "There was a problem with my positioning," Weiss tried to explain. "I got briefly startled by the noise, and my hand slipped. My actual endurance—physical _and_ mental—is very good. If you were to test me again, I would get a much higher score, probably even within the top ten."

"That's quite the claim."

"That's why I believe, Professor. I would hate for you to get the wrong sense of what I'm capable of."

"I see. So, are you suggesting that we disregard your score on the first test during team evaluation."

Yes. Please. "I… would never go that far," Weiss said slowly. "But I wanted to make it very clear what _actually_ happened during that test."

"Thank you for telling me, Weiss," Professor Goodwitch stated. "Because, to be honest, we did not expect you to score so low based on your application."

"You didn't?" Weiss asked, hopeful. Goodwitch nodded.

"Oh, no, we pegged you having around the thirtieth best time, not the thirty-ninth," Goodwitch explained. "In fact, some of the other professors were taking bets as to whether you'd crack the twenty-fifth percentile. So, thank you for earning me twenty Lien."

Weiss deflated, shrinking in her chair. "Oh… you're welcome… I guess."

"Yes, truthfully, we didn't think the endurance test would be your strong suit. You're a bit too skinny for that. Honestly, you're one of the skinniest Atlasians I've ever seen. It's like you've never eaten anything your entire life."

"You really know how to make a girl feel special."

"You don't need our help for that. You are plenty special as it is, Weiss. Here's a funny story. When Ozpin found out that you were interested in coming to Beacon Academy, he nearly spat out his drink. 'A Schnee? Coming here,' he asked. He could not understand why a member of one of Atlas's strongest family would not attend Atlas Academy instead. No Atlasian has even come to Beacon since… well, I'm sure _you_ know what helped drive that final wedge between our Kingdoms. But it was quite the big deal that you decided to come to Beacon Academy, or that you decided to become a Huntress at all, and just because some of us made bets about how much you'd fail, and some of us profited off those bets, and some of us still have some ongoing bets, that doesn't mean that we don't welcome you here. It might mean that some of the students don't welcome you here, but—actually how are the students anyway? Did you make any new friends at the party?"

"Pyrrha's nice. Everyone else is pretty terrible."

"Ah, Miss Nikos _is_ quite the student isn't she. She scored the highest on the endurance test… and scored _me_ another twenty Lien. I'm sure you would love to be on her team, wouldn't you?"

"Of course, I would," Weiss said proudly. "She's the best fighter in the school. But I don't see how that's possible now."

"It's absolutely possible," Goodwtich continued. "We don't just take the highest scoring students and slap them into a team together. Obviously, it's good to get a high rank, but we find that team cohesion is far more valuable than any individual skill. Our goal is balance, not dominance. If we deem that you and Pyrrha are compatible with one another, then it is entirely likely that you will be teamed together."

Weiss' heart skipped a beat. "Seriously?"

"Dead serious."

"So… I'm not completely screwed?"

"Doesn't seem like it," said Goodwitch. Her face perked up, and she snapped her fingers. " _That_ was why I called you in here. I wanted to tell you not to be overly worried about failing the first test because of the high likelihood that subsequent performances would allow you to achieve team compatibility with the person you most desire. A bit of a mouthful, but that was essentially it."

Weiss breathed a sigh of relief. She had been panicked over nothing. Well, not nothing, but something that wasn't nearly as bad as she thought it was. She wasn't expelled. She wasn't laughed out of the school in front of everyone. Maybe, she would actually sleep that night. "That's… that's wonderful to hear, Professor Goodwitch. It makes me feel much better. Now, if that's all, I think I'll go back to my practicing—"

"Wait," Goodwitch said suddenly, her face turning dark. "There was one more thing I wanted to touch up with you on." Weiss resettled in her seat, the unease slowly settling back into her spine.

"What do you need to know?" Weiss asked, suspicious.

"I know it's not the easiest subject," Goodwitch said almost in a whisper, "but how have you been handling your… _problem_ , lately?"

At first, Weiss didn't understand what the professor was talking about. Problem? She didn't have any problems, not anymore. But then, it hit her, and all of the elation from the proceeding moments turned to ice and froze in the pit of her stomach. The professor was talking about _that_ problem. The problem that started this whole mess to begin with. The problem that was the reason she practiced so hard every day. The problem that she felt every time she grabbed her sword, or took a deep breath, or looked into the mirror and saw the garish red mark breaking across her eye. The problem that forced her to leave Atlas behind.

"It's fine."

"It's fine?" Goodwitch asked doubtingly. "Do you mean it's doing better, or—"

"It's fine," Weiss said sternly. "You don't have to worry about it."

"You know what I teach at this school, don't you? It's my _job_ to worry about this. Have you been doing the exercises I recommended?"

"Yes. It's starting to get better."

"Really? So, are you able to do it for me right now?"

"Right now? In this office?" Weiss asked worriedly. She felt like the tight walls were closing in on her. _Of course, she couldn't do it_. "Yes, I can."

Why did she say that?

"You can do it now?" Goodwitch asked. Her dry tone gave away her doubts. " _Without_ using your sword?"

There was a fleeting moment where Weiss was going to say yes. At the very least, it would have given her the chance to try. She had not tried since that day, and maybe, a part of her told her, things would be different. Maybe she could do it without the help. But, it was the other part of her that she listened to. The part that reminded her that she had never done it her entire life, the part that reminded her what happened when she last failed. Her eye still burned when she touched it.

"No, Professor. I can't."

Goodwitch sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Weiss… I've read over your application a hundred times. I know more about you than you might think; all of your strength, but more importantly, all of your weaknesses. When I saw your condition, I implored Ozpin not to enroll you. I believed that there were a hundred more students— _Valian_ students—who were vastly more qualified to join our ranks. But Ozpin saw a great amount of potential in you, and I've learned in the past not to question his decisions for who to bring into our fold. I agreed that it was all right to enroll you so long as you could show that you were making progress with your condition. If you aren't going to be honest with me, I don't know how I can make this work. I'm very worried about you, Weiss, and I'm not sure you understand just how dangerous this actually is. For a normal person, it's a burden, but for a Huntress… Soul Lapse can be _fatal_ , Weiss. If you can't control it—"

"It's fine," Weiss repeated. "I can handle this. I've handled worse."

Goodwitch remained unimpressed. "I hope you manage to fix this, Weiss. You have a very bright future. I can sense it within you, but only if you can get yourself together. I don't want to regret trusting Ozpin about you."

"You won't," Weiss said assuredly. "I'll do everything I need to do." Deep inside, however, she felt nothing. His words still echoed within her, and no amount of false bravado would ever shake them. Like a poison, they remained, just like the poison eating away at her very Soul.

"Thank you for talking with me, Weiss," Professor Goodwitch said comfortingly. "Good luck on the second test."

"Thank you, Professor," Weiss said, rising from her seat. She gave a confident nod. It took everything she had left. "Always a pleasure."

Weiss left the office and shut the door behind her. Goodwitch remained, surrounded by sports imagery that she hated. The Schnee did not actually return to practice. She figured there was nothing else she could do to help, so instead, she went to her bunk and took a nap. It was pleasant. Three hours later, Weiss would take her second Huntress test. It was a test of balance and coordination. Footwork. Fluidity. Patience. Weiss Schnee scored the second-highest out of the class, just behind Pyrrha Nikos. The gods eased their disappointment. Professor Goodwitch made twenty Lien off it.


	7. Blake and the Great Wolf

**Note: And we're back! After many months we have started writing again. Honestly, it's been far too long, but we just got so busy it literally became impossible to keep up with our daily schedule. Thankfully, we're a bit more clear now, so chapters should start coming out again soon with more frequency. if you've been sticking with us, thank you so much for your patience. We hope you enjoy.**

* * *

" _Hey, take a look at this!" Ilia shouted, bounding up and down the shore, her bare toes sinking into the sand. Blake looked up at her friend, who waited energetically just next to the rising sun, causing her freckled features to be concealed by shadow. Her hands were stretched out in front of her, and in her tiny grasp was a Scroll, barely different enough Blake kept in her own house._

" _What about it?" Blake asked, indifferently. Perhaps it was not fair to Ilia, but Blake expected to be disappointed. The redhaired girl had a tendency to get overexcited about the most meaningless things as she tried desperately to impress her. Still, Blake's tepid attitude did little to deter her, as Ilia pushed the Scroll further underneath Blake's nose._

" _It's Valian," Ilia said excitedly. "Not just that, but take a look what I found on it…"_

 _Ilia's fingers danced across the screen, and within moments, a window popped up and began playing a small animated feature. Ilia knelt down beside Blake, holding the Scroll out in front of them as she leaned on Blake's shoulder. Blake playfully shoved her away, before focusing in on the video playing on the screen. AURA AND YOU was written across the center of the screen in big red lettering across a white background. The image remained still as colorful piano music played in the background, the only movement caused by Ilia bouncing her hands with the rhythm._

 _Then, with a cartoonish pop, a bigheaded chibi girl burst from the corner of the screen and saluted in front of the title, her full military commander's uniform contrasting heavily with the sheer adorableness of her massively oversized head._

" _Oh God, what is this?" Blake groaned._

" _It's a training video for young Huntsmen and Huntresses," Ilia said excitedly._

" _Where do you even find this stuff?"_

" _It's a secret. Watch!" Ilia insisted, drawing the Scroll in closer as the cartoon woman began to speak._

" _Greetings, students. It's I, Major Punishment, here for another lesson about how to survive in a cruel, dark world. Today's lesson is all about: Aura." The letters on the screen changed. The words disappeared, replaced by the simple text, AURA, as the Major gestured in amusement. "Now, you may be asking yourselves students: What exactly is Aura? Is it a power source? A shield? A weapon? Well, the fantastic answer to all of that is… yes!"_

 _The words vanished again, suddenly replaced with a human silhouette. A slight glow appeared around the shadow, and the Major explained thusly, "Aura is a powerful energy that rests inside all Humans in Remnant. Aura is most commonly referred to as the purest extension of the Soul, which, as you'll remember from our Soul lecture, is the ultimate source of Life within the body. Aura is the power which is drawn from the Soul; for comparison, if the Soul is a battery, then Aura is the electricity it generates. Simple? Great!"_

 _The camera zoomed in towards the silhouette, as Major Punishment continued to narrate from offscreen. "Now, because Aura is an energy, it can be manifested in a number of different ways. As Huntsmen and Huntresses, you will learn how to direct your Aura supply throughout your body in a whole variety of neat ways. But be careful! While Aura is naturally consumed and replenished over the course of normal day-to-day activities, directly channeling your Aura can be very draining if you lack the proper training. Use up too much, and you'll pass out from exhaustion. Run out completely, and well… there won't be very much left of you at all!"_

 _Still freakishly excited, Major Punishment reappeared on the bottom of the screen. "Now, let's discuss the different uses you might have for Aura, shall we? The most common use you will find your Aura is to channel it through your skin to serve as a protective barrier from attacks. The extra energy will harden your skin, causing it to resist damage. How much damage? Why, silly, that depends on what you're willing to put in! Typically, Huntsmen and Huntresses recommend creating a thin Aura shield that covers your entire body. This shield, when used properly, can last up to forty minutes in a tense combat scenario, and costs relatively little Aura and focus to maintain. It can defend against shockwaves and elemental damage fairly consistently. Plus, it works great for defending against blunt attacks."_

 _Without warning, the Major pulled out a massively oversized hammer, and violently swung it towards the human model. The hammer ricocheted off its target, the head shattering into pieces. The silhouette pulsed triumphantly._

" _But, protection comes with a price," Major Punishment explained, undeterred. "Aside from wearing down from every hit taken, such a small shield won't be able to protect you from piercing or slashing blows. And when it comes to bullets…"_

 _The Major whipped out a minigun, and with a wicked grin, blasted the silhouette apart in a matter of seconds, splattering cartoon blood all over the clean white backdrop and all over her otherwise pristine uniform. Blake rolled her eyes, while Ilia simply shrugged it off. Typical Vale._

" _Now, we may not be able to generate enough energy to defend the intense force of a gun to the chest, Huntsmen and Huntresses can—and often do—redirect their Aura towards specific parts of the body to create a stronger, more durable forms of protection. Knives won't stand a chance! But, be very careful not to make these shields too big. Creating something of that strength even the size of your hand requires an incredible amount of Aura. And covering your whole body in a blade-proof shield? Forget it; you'd pass out in seconds."_

 _The silhouette reformed spontaneously, now pulsating with a bright red glow. "Healing works quite the same way. Because Aura is a life-sustaining force, it will slowly heal the parts of the body it is coursing through. Small cuts can be healed naturally by an Aura force in under a minute, and bruises can be healed in under an hour. However, more severe injuries such as broken limbs need a much higher flow of Aura to repair and a longer period of time. You'd probably be better of leaving the battlefield entirely and head to a hospital, weakling! Now, another feature of Aura is the Semblance—"_

" _Okay, I think I get the point," Blake said, turning away from the screen._

" _Aw, you don't think it's neat?" Ilia moaned._

" _Why would I think that? It's war propaganda. They show this stuff to their kids."_

" _I mean, we're kids," Ilia said dismissively. "They show this to kids our age, so they can learn to fight as adults. Don't you think that's important?"_

" _I don't know," Blake said worriedly. "Maybe I don't think kids should have to fight as adults at all. Maybe Huntsmen schools shouldn't even be a thing."_

 _Ilia looked down at her bare toes, sinking deeper into the hot sand. She sighed. "Well, what else are we supposed to do?"_

* * *

"I like your bow."

Blake wasn't entirely sure how she was supposed to process that comment. On one hand, she had just received a compliment, and there was some distant part of her which reminded her that normal people thanked others when they received a compliment, and if she wanted to maintain normalcy, she should have responded in kind. However, that part of her was vastly overshadowed by the part of her which was incredibly annoyed that the blonde lady in the crop top would _not stop talking to her_. She did not understand why, or even how. She thought she was very clear that she did not want to be bothered. That was the reason why she was wearing a black hoodie—for the express purpose of stating her intention that she was to be left alone. If that did not do the trick, she assumed that ignoring all social cues would make enough of a statement. Apparently, she had failed to account for normal human stupidity.

"It's just a bow."

It wasn't just a bow. Blake knew that quite well. It was special in a way that the blonde could not have comprehended. But the blonde didn't need to know that. So, at the moment, it was just a bow; a bow attracting far too much attention.

"I think it looks cute on you," the blonde said arrogantly. "Maybe you can give me some pointers. We could go shopping, if you'd be into that."

Her voice was squeaky. Not timid, but untuned and loud. It might have been the worst voice Blake had ever heard, and the more she heard it, the more she became distracted from the extremely important test she was going to take at any second.

"Yang, are you like this with everyone you meet?"

Blake finally turned to look her in the eye. Purple. Weird.

"You mean awesome?" Yang said with a cheeky grin. She really wasn't getting the message, was she? Did Blake need to hit her? Because striking another student unprovoked would almost certainly get her expelled, and she could not afford that. Well, she supposed, it was also a shitty thing to do. Despite the grating tone of Yang's voice and her cocky smile—and the fact that she had a strict aversion to pants—she couldn't help but think about what Ilia would say if she was there.

" _She is trying to be your friend. Meet her halfway. Don't be such a jerk."_

Blake grimaced. Why was she even still thinking about that stupid girl? They weren't friends. Ilia burned that bridge long ago. Fuck her, and fuck her advice.

"That's… a word for it. Look, don't take this the wrong way, but I am really not in the mood to make any friends right now."

"Baloney," Yang said confidently. "Everyone is in the mood to make new friends."

"Well, I'm not. Sorry to disappoint you." Blake was about to continue, when she heard the buzzer sound off in the amphitheater, and the professor called out her name. Thank God. "Look at that. Time for me to go." Blake could not get up from her seat fast enough. Literally. She was not fast enough, because she was still able to hear Yang call after her, delivering one last damaging stab to her brain before she started the test.

"So… Blake Belladonna. Hope to see you around soon."

Blake hoped she never saw Yang ever again.

When Blake final entered the testing room and began the exam, she was a bit shocked to discover how dull the whole affair truly was. All that was asked of her was to hold done some buttons and strike a mildly uncomfortable pose. Considering the lengths she put her body through just a few weeks before, the brutal things she had done to her own flesh, the test was child's play. It was like a nice stretch after a long workout, a time for her to forget about Yang, and Ilia, and all of the stress from Beacon Academy, and just relax, letting the deep, aching pain seep out of her bones and muscles. She spent over forty minutes in the chamber in a near-meditative state, letting the tension flow from her body. She almost got out a laugh or two. There was this incredibly cute moment where the professors tried to startle her by showing a bunch of images on the screen in front of her and playing scary noises in her ears. It would have been creepy if it wasn't obviously faked. Whatever substance they used as a substitute for blood was too thick; they must have thought that thicker blood made it seem more horrific, but she found nothing particularly frightening about syrup.

After Blake exited the test, she was left alone for the rest of the day. Yang never tried to befriend her again, and the teachers said nothing disregarded her without a second thought. She spent the rest of her afternoon wandering through the halls of Beacon, taking in the foreign scenery, studying it carefully. She carefully took in every inch of the castle and the students within, paying attention to the upperclassmen as they walked the halls between their classes. Occasionally, they gave her stray looks, the same looks she was sure they gave every new student. She did not mind; she only gave thought to the flow of the crowd. That information was valuable. She would save it for later.

When she was finished with her long walk, she returned just in time for dinner. It was their first real dinner together as a class, but she wanted no part in it. She wasn't used to eating again. Not yet. Instead, as the other students gathered around in the cafeteria, she slipped back to the rough, prison-like confines of the barracks, and slunk onto her bed to catch the hours of sleep that were stolen earlier that morning. A task easier said than done. The mattress didn't help soothe her, and the pillow was tough and warm, like someone had stuffed it into a hot corner for hours before giving it to her. And then there was her skin, barely clinging to the rest of her, like a thick suit that swallowed her up and trapped her in place. She touched the back of her hand, running her fingers down the thin scars that traversed the length of her body. The skin was dry, but smooth. Shockingly smooth. It was alien to her.

The very next day, Blake completed her second exam: a test of balance. She ranked seventh out of the class. The test seemed simplistic enough: a set of heavy objects were given to them alongside a large pendulum balance, and it was their job to place all of the objects upon the scale so that it matched evenly. The trick was that the objects and balance were separated by a twenty-foot-long wire that they had to traverse across, all while the professors stood from afar and launched heavy metal objects at them out of cannons. It left her with a nasty bruise o her left forearm, but she did better than most of the other students, so she could hardly complain.

What she _could_ complain about was the momentary encounter outside of the testing area following her completion. Her plan for the evening was the same as the night before: sneak a bite to eat, study the castle, go to bed. Yet, when she stepped out into the open, absentmindedly pushing open the door to the hallway, she stepped into one of the other students, a girl of total whiteness, clothes crafted from lace and a face cold and sharp as the glistening metal on a knife.

"Watch it."

Blake recalled that her name was Weiss Schnee. She never knew that the Schnee's planned to send their daughter to Beacon Academy. In fact, she knew nothing at all of Weiss's existence—only of a fierce military captain named Winter, and the wandering rumor of a smarmy little thing calling itself Whitley festering like a tumor in the underbelly of the Schnee Dust Company. But Weiss? Nothing. Through all of her studies of the history and bastardized legacy of the wealthiest organization in the world, the name was absent entirely. She did not doubt her authenticity, not with that complexion, and those clothes, and that entitled voice which somehow even managed to be more annoying than Yang's. Still, Blake regarded her with caution. She made a mental note to learn more about the supposed heiress later. Until then, she could only hate her from a distance.

"Sorry."

"You should be," Weiss sneered. She immediately turned to leave, uninterested in entertaining a conversation. "Seriously, people around here need to watch where they're going…"

The forgotten Schnee walked away with a click of her heels. Blake's eyes lingered on her feet. Her shoes were remarkable. They were meticulously crafted, and Blake couldn't help but wonder how many nearly identical pairs rested in Weiss' closet back in Atlas, and how many thousands they cost in her father's money. Blake looked down at her own shoes: black boots with flat heels. Rugged, worn down, yet comfortable and practical. They helped her stay on her toes without being a nuisance. She imagined trying to fight in Weiss' heels, and she couldn't see how the Schnee managed to keep her balance.

Blake stayed up late that night reflecting further upon the Schnee girl. She would not say that she was particularly bothered by her presence; she was tougher than that. But her clothes? For some strange reason, that set off a specific trigger in the back of her mind. She knew it was silly: fabric bothering her more than a person's terrible attitude and presumably terrible beliefs. But those clothes, those damn clothes were a luxury that annoyed her to no end. The rich fabric from which it was crafted, the elegant tailoring which pieced together every delicate stitch, and the sheer pride with which it was shown off on the Schnee's slender frame simply irritated Blake beyond reason, not for their express purpose, but for the loss of something more. Food could have been bought with that money. Maybe even a house. There were struggling people who never had a taste of that much comfort, and even one of the several bracelets Weiss wore around her left arm would be more than enough to increase the satisfaction of their lives. Ilia would have literally killed to be able to wear clothes like that; the girl had spent most of her life with aging hand-me-downs and stiff leather, and if anyone was to be granted the opportunity to wear something nice, it should have been someone at least _somewhat_ more deserving, and that was exactly when Blake realized she thinking about Ilia again, causing her to groaned and thrust her face down into her pillow, forcing herself to fall asleep.

She needed to get that girl out of her head.

 _"Do you always have to push away everyone who cares about you?"_

* * *

So, Miss Belladonna, is it?" Professor Goodwitch asked as they stepped through the narrow corridor leading to the third testing area. "According to our records, you are from Prism. I've never been to the Mistran coastline, but I hear that is truly a sight to behold. Are the rumors true?"

Blake rolled her eyes. "Sure."

"Fascinating," Goodwitch mused. "I've always wondered how one can live in a city made out of crystals. They say that the technology used to construct it has been lost to the ages."

"Probably."

"Yes, yes. It's all very sad, isn't it? The gradual decline of civilization. The societies that once shined so brightly being swallowed by the bitter nature of the passing of time. Truly makes you think about how much longer our Kingdom has before it's inevitably forgotten by history. Doesn't it?"

"Um… not really, no," Blake said, raising an eyebrow. The professor shook her head.

"Oh, of course," Goodwitch explained. "You haven't been tainted yet by the cruelty of the world. I'll ask you again in ten years how you feel about things assuming we both live that long."

"Professor, why are we talking about this?" Blake asked curiously as the pair came to a stop outside of a pair of double doors.

"Oh, it's just my attempt at small talk to connect with your humanity. It's designed to relieve tension. Is your tension relieved?"

"Are you asking if you talking about how I'm going to die soon relieved my tension?"

Goodwitch paused for a moment. "Yes, I suppose so."

"Then, no."

Goodwitch paused for a longer moment. "Okay, then."

"Okay."

"Okay."

The two stood in awkward silence, before Goodwitch added, "Is there anything I could ask that _would_ relieve your tension—"

"Professor, can we just get on with the test?"

Goodwitch nodded sharply. "If you desire, Miss Belladonna. As you recall, you've completed tests measuring your endurance, as well as your balance. Today, we will continue examining your physical attributes as we measure your agility. Through these doors lies the testing area: a dynamic obstacle course designed to test your abilities under strenuous circumstances. At the end of the room, you will find a golden chalice atop a podium. To complete the test, all you have to do is move through the course as fast as you can and remove the chalice from the podium."

"Simple enough," Blake said with a shrug. "What's the fastest time so far?"

"There is none. You're the first of the new students to attempt this course. In fact, you'll be the first person to ever attempt this particular test. As such, this will be a perfect opportunity for us to do some fine-tuning in the case that the obstacles prove more lethal than expected."

"More lethal?"

"Forget I said anything!" Goodwitch noted hurriedly, clapping her hands together. In the blink of an eye, she opened the pair of double doors, grabbed Blake roughly by the collar of her shirt, and thrust her inside the room, before quickly slamming the doors behind her. "Good luck, Miss Belladonna!"

Blake stumbled into the room, and for the briefest of moments was left in total darkness until the lights in the testing chamber finally flickered on. The fluorescent bulbs cascaded their dull light around the room, and Blake readjusted her footing as she checked her surroundings. The room was dark charcoal, which did not surprise her. Beacon seemed to have a thing for dark grey testing areas. It was also quite unsurprisingly large, about the size of the gymnasium in one of her old schools. She stood in the quiet room on one end, and at the other, she could see her prize: bathed in the glow to two overhead spotlights, the chalice rested upon a meticulously carved marble podium, its golden features beckoning to her from the overbearing shadows surrounding it. That was not surprising, either. The professors certainly wanted to give each student a clear sight of the goal as motivation.

What was surprising to Blake was that the room was empty.

Blake took a step forward, pivoting on her heels. The shadows and the blackness of the walls impacted her vision, but even in near darkness, it was clear that there was nothing between her and her prize. There were no walls to jump over, no pits to be avoided, and no barriers of any kind to halt her progression. It was just her and the chalice. Her goal, and the darkness around her.

Blake took another step forward and immediately stopped. Something was definitely going to jump out at her. She wasn't stupid. The traps were hiding behind panels in the walls and ceilings. At any moment, the floor would open up to reveal a pit of lava, or saw blades fall down from the ceiling, or the walls would start closing in on her. She looked down at her feet, trying to see if there were any pressure plates or tripwires for her to accidentally walk into, but there was nothing there to see.

She took another step. She did not mind that she was moving so slowly, even if she was being judged on time. She knew the other students would rush ahead mindlessly and get themselves into all sorts of trouble, but she was smarter than that. Besides, she had done well enough on the previous tests that she could afford to take it slow. When the time came for the obstacles to show themselves, she would be ready, and she would prevail.

She took another step. She kept her guard up. Any second something would come for her.

She took another step. Any second now.

Another step. Still waiting.

Another step. She paused and swiveled around behind her. Nothing there either.

Three more steps. Nothing.

Five steps forward. And… still nothing. Literally nothing.

Blake picked up the pace, and within a few more steps, she had reached the halfway point at the center of the test chamber. She paused, and looked all around her, placing her hands on her hips. They did remember to _start_ the test, right? When they said they were doing fine-tuning, did they mean they needed to actually activate the obstacles? She looked out at toward the chalice resting upon its pedestal, its golden beauty practically begging her to come and take it. She was tempted to just make a run for it. She could make it to the podium in ten seconds. It would be easy, but something held her back. The other tests were gimmicked in some way, so she knew there had to be some trick lying in wait for her.

Maybe the lack of obstacles _was_ the trick, she wondered. Maybe the chamber really was empty, and the actual test was overcoming her paranoia of the unknown and racing out to the chalice as fast as she could. That would be somewhat sensical; she was supposed to go through _mental_ obstacles rather than physical ones, and it would help instill a sense of bravery within her. Granted, it would also teach her that caution was a waste of time, and she thought that lesson would be incredibly moronic, but it was Beacon Academy that she was attending, so she couldn't hazard a guess as to what they were thinking when they came up with the test. She decided that she might as well try and see what happened, and Blake readied herself to dash forward and get the test over with.

And it was then that Blake suddenly heard the sound of metal grinding against metal, as one of the walls directly behind her sunk into the floor. She froze, slowly turning her head to see what was behind her, when she heard a low, rumbling, ferocious growl.

Oh.

Shit.

Blake sprinted forward like mad, racing towards the chalice as fast as she could, not daring to look back. She heard footsteps approaching behind her, and she panicked, pushing herself as fast as she could. She was close when she saw a massive shadow leap over her head and come crashing down in front of her, directly blocking her path. She desperately tried to stop as a large mass swung out towards her, knocking her square in the chest, and sending her soaring back across the room. She tumbled through the air, only instinctively activating the aura inside of her and letting it weave its way through her skin, providing what little protection it could. She slammed back first into the steel wall above the double doors, the hard surface knocking the air out of her lungs. She fell to the floor with a thud, and she struggled to her feet, she looked up at the beast at the end of the room: a Great Wolf, pelt of silver and eyes of red, fifteen feet tall and twice as long from its moist snout to its heavy tail, faded teeth snarling in a drooling mouth, claws the size of her head, standing directly between her and her goal.

Blake groaned. "A dog… why does it have to be a dog?"

She struggled to her feet, letting the feeling return to her limbs. She needed a plan. Badly. She wasn't allowed to bring her weapon with her, so killing it was out of the option. The Great Wolf stared at her from across the way, carefully guarding its treasure, so she didn't think she could lure it away. If she wanted to get to that chalice, she was only left with one option: outmaneuver it. Blake took a deep breath, and cracked her knuckles. They did want to test her agility, after all.

She ran forward at the beast, and it crouched in wait. She drew closer and closer, moving past the halfway point and rushing closer towards it, where it watched her patiently. She ran directly towards its waiting mouth, and waited for her opening. The beast suddenly lunged towards her swinging with its right paw. She rolled past it, but was immediately struck from the opposite side and sent flying towards the side wall. She slammed back first again, but managed to roll upon hitting the ground, recovering quickly. Her aura was pulsing through her skin fully, taking most of the punishment, but it wouldn't hold up forever, especially if she kept taking hits like that. The dog was fast, faster than it had any right to be. She needed to be careful.

She rushed up again to the beast and stopped in front of it. It wasted little time in striking out, slashing rapidly with its claws. Blake ducked the first attack and just rolled to the left of its second, each paw slamming into the ground around her with a vicious clang, echoing like thunder throughout the chamber. The wolf slashed at her head, but she flipped backward from the attack, landing on her toes and quickly dashing towards its center. She slid beneath its legs as the dog snapped its jaws down at her, its sharp teeth narrowly missing her head.

She tried to roll to her feet, but the dog stumbled backward, trying to keep track of her position beneath its giant form. Its paws stamped down around her, and she tried to hurriedly roll out from the monster. Yet, her escape was blocked by a paw stomping down in front of her, and she gasped as she rolled back beneath the beast just before it managed to crush her. More feet stomped around her, and she crossed her arms over her face to protect herself as she rolled and scampered past its hectic movements. In the chaos, she lost her sense of direction, and it was only by chance that she glanced up from on her back and happened to see her target upside down through a narrow gap beneath the dog's legs. Sensing the opportunity, she rolled over on all fours, and made one final roll towards the opening, just as the dog peered between its legs and growled as it finally saw its target. The monster suddenly leaped high into the air and spun around towards the desperate girl as she finally stumbled to her feet and reached out towards the chalice, her fingers nearly grazing its golden surface.

Blake looked up at the last moment, and only by a miracle was she able to lunge out of the way before the monster's entire body crashed down like a meteor. The force of the impact knocked her back further from the chalice, but she did not give up yet. She summoned the rest of her strength, and made one final dash towards the chalice, just as the dog recovered from its fall and swung out its claw at her neck. She saw the move coming, and pressing off the ground, she somersaulted over the incoming attack and landed directly in front of the chalice, as big as her head and shining brighter than ever. She reached out with both hands and grabbed the gold with both hands, and yanked it as hard as she could.

The chalice did not budge. It was too heavy.

Blake screamed in disbelief. "Are you fucking kidding me—aagh!" Before she could react, the Great Wolf snapped its jaws forward, sinking its teeth into Blake's hair. It spun around sharply, and dragged Blake away from her prize effortlessly, snapping its neck and throwing her back to the entrance of the room like a ragdoll. Blake bounced as she hit the floor, rolling across the metal surface until she came to a hard stop against the double doors. She growled in frustration and pushed herself off the floor. Of course, they had to make the chalice impossible to lift. They couldn't make it easy for her. The Great Wolf was far too aggressive to give her the time she needed to lift the chalice away. She needed to keep it at bay, to knock it down. If only she had her weapon with her.

" _Just like that, Ilia!"_

The memory hit her like a freight train. A beach. Bare feet on hot sand. Two young girls training together unbeknownst to others. Why now?

" _Wow, I'm doing it! I can feel all the aura going down there!"_

" _With all that energy, imagine how hard you can hit."_

Blake snapped out of it. That was it. She may not have had her blade with her, but she had her aura, and she would have to make due. She could still fight, not for long, but perhaps long enough to hold it off. Blake started to run again towards the wolf, but this time, she focused the aura away from her skin, and directed it down towards her legs. She could feel the energy filling them, strengthening her bones, pulsing into every muscle, firing through each individual synapse. Her footsteps quickened as the energy carried faster and faster, and the Great Wolf took a leap forward, preparing for her strike. She stepped past the halfway mark, and pushed off the ground as hard as she could, letting her aura launch her high into the air, sailing towards the wolf's opening jaw. With a scream, Blake extended her foot and spun around in the air, and with all the aura she could muster, slammed her heel directly into the side of the wolf's face. The blow rippled through the creature's body, sending its spiraling out of control through the air. Blake smirked as her boot struck the monster, finally achieving the upper hand.

Then, as the monster spun around in defeat, it's tail whipped through the air, and crashed directly into Blake's torso. With all the aura in her legs, her body took the impact on its own, and she felt every ounce of pain as she slammed into the steel floor.

" _No, no, you can't do it like that."_

" _What are you talking about, Ilia?"_

Blake groggily looked up from the floor. She was halfway across the testing chamber, but it felt like she was miles from the chalice. She knew she had broken a rib or two, if she was lucky. She could already see the Great Wolf begin to recover, and she could feel the aura slipping from her body.

" _You're thinking too direct. You can't just use aura to punch and kick stuff. That's not what the lady says to do."_

" _The lady is a murderer."_

" _No, just hear me out for a second…"_

Blake tried to push herself up on her arms, but they gave out almost instantly. The last blow took everything out of her. Even if she could make it to the chalice, there was no chance she would be able to lift it off the podium. The dog had made it back to its feet, and had noticed her lying helplessly on the floor. The test was practically over.

" _You can put the aura anywhere_ _you want. Anywhere at all. Combined with your Semblance, you're constantly moving and shifting around your own energy."_

" _Yeah, and?"_

" _And that means that anyone you fight also has_ _to be moving and shifting around their own energy. Which means that you shouldn't try to move your own energy, but rather…"_

Blake's eyes shot open, just as the beast hovering above her took one final horizontal swipe at its prey. With the last of her aura, she energized her legs and sprung off of the ground, flipping over the claw and landing on her feet, staggering. She jumped up back into the air, lunging above the wolf's head, imitating the motions of her kick. The dog, quick to learn, spun around on its hind legs to swat Blake back to the start with its tail, but she was ready. She redirected her aura to her hands, and reaching out towards her opponent, managed to catch the tail in mid-air. The wolf spun around, unaware of its new passenger, and Blake quickly targeted the chalice at the other end of the room, timing her release. With the wolf's momentum behind her, she let go of its fur, and let the wolf's own energy carry her towards the target. She landed just shy of the podium, but rolled to her feet and pressed her back against the surface, turning towards her canine foe.

"Hey! Over here, you stupid mutt!" Blake shouted angrily. The wolf snapped to attention, and let out a ferocious growl as it began charging towards her, all four legs pushing it rapidly across the test chamber. Blake braced herself against the podium, ready for its attack. When the beast got close, it launched forward like a rocket, swinging its claw in one final attempt to knock the student away from its beloved treasure. The claw struck forward almost instantaneously, immediately slicing at Blake's head.

But then, all at once, the girl turned to shadow, and disappeared. The monster's claw swung through the emptiness, and struck the podium, shattering it into pieces. The force of the strike was so great that it launched the chalice upwards through the sky. The beast looked up, and confused, it saw her: the original Blake, pressed high against the surface of the wall many feet in the air, fading aura pulsing through her legs, watching the chalice rise to meet her. She yelled, and launched herself off the wall, grabbing the chalice in her arms as she soared high above the wolf's head. She sailed beyond it and landed roughly, skidding against the steel floor before grinding to a screeching halt. She breathed heavily as she gazed down at the golden treasure within her arms, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Dammit, Ilia."

A loud buzzer sounded in the test chamber. It was over. Blake rolled onto her back, dropping the chalice by her side. She needed a nap, and a shower, and some food, and some bandages, and a lot of other things that she was too tired to think of. What mattered was that the test was over. Blake looked up into the sky, but suddenly her heart skipped a beat. The Great Wolf was standing over her, its massive head peering down, blocking out the lights from above. It looked at her for a long moment, and she stared back, too terrified to move. Then, without warning, it moved down, opened up its mouth, and gave Blake a long, loving lick from her torso to her face, its hot tongue pressing her into the ground as she struggled futilely. It barked happily and ran back to its pen on the other end of the test chamber, as Blake tried and failed to wipe the warm saliva away from her face, shuddering with disgust.

She really fucking hated dogs.


	8. Yang and the High Expectations

**Note: Yes, it has been over a month since we last updated. Yes, it is two in the morning when we are updating this. We very much appreciate those who are sticking with this through a slow update schedule. This is the last of the character test/development chapters we plan on writing. Next time, secrets get revealed, and things start to heat up. Until then, here's a chapter featuring everyone's blonde firecracker. Enjoy.**

* * *

" _Mom, can I talk to you about something?"_

 _Summer glanced up from her Scroll. "What is it, sweetie?" The words came out mild, disinterested—unintentionally so. She had read somewhere once that it was psychologically healthy for children to know that their elders were aware of their questions and concerns, and she took the advice to heart. Yang, in particular, needed the help, having a mind far more curious than was beneficial for her age. She wanted to know everything, especially material that was not suitable for her age, whereas Ruby was thankfully keener to let her imagination answer most of her questions instead. For a four-year-old, that was a relief. Unfortunately, it was her elder daughter that sat across from her behind a bowl of sugary cereal, which meant that Summer had to enter her "serious parenting mode." It was all the more annoying then that her tone came across as so bland, a side effect of stumbling across a particularly non-Yang friendly piece of news. The last thing she needed was her daughter getting mixed messages. She received enough of those already._

 _Yang looked down awkwardly at her food, her hands kept in her lap. She said nothing further. Summer, quickly adapting, placed the Scroll face down on the table, and repeated herself more assertively. "Yang, what's the matter?"_

" _It's nothing," Yang said dismissively._

" _Come on, you can tell me," Summer pressed. Yang's eyes darted away, but the tension eased from her shoulders._

" _It's… about this dream I had last night," Yang explained carefully._

" _Nightmare?" Summer asked instinctively._

" _Yeah. I think."_

" _You think?" Summer asked, perplexed._

" _I don't know. It was weird."_

" _Weird how? Don't be shy."_

 _Yang took a long moment to recover the memory. "So… I was at school. I was in the classroom with Mr. Silver, but it wasn't Mr. Silver really. It was just some guy who acted nothing like Mr. Silver, but I called him Mr. Silver anyway. But that wasn't the bad part. So, I was in the classroom with the other students, and we were going over something. I think it was math, except I didn't understand what they were talking about."_

" _And then you took a test that you forgot to study for?" Summer guessed. Yang shook her head. "Sorry. Continue."_

" _Okay, so I was in the classroom and we were doing the math, and I think I looked out the window and I noticed it getting dark. Lots of black clouds appeared outside, and the lights in the room started flickering, but I was the only one who noticed. A big storm was coming and I tried telling them but they ignored me."_

 _Summer nodded and smiled understandingly. "Oh, I've had that dream before, when you're the only one who knows about something dangerous, but you are helpless to stop it. Sometimes you have to run somewhere very quickly but you move at a snail's pace. It's perfectly normal to have those types of nightmares."_

" _That's not the weird part though," Yang countered. Summer was taken aback, but let her daughter continue. "So I go to the window to look at the storm, but the class keeps acting like nothing is happening. I get scared and so I keep looking out the window to search for help but then—"_

 _Yang cut herself off. Summer leaned inwards, her face emitting the same gentleness as always. "Then?"_

" _Well, then I noticed my own reflection in the window, and how scared I looked," Yang recalled vividly, "and… then my reflection talked to me."_

 _The smile vanished from Summer's face._

" _It… talked to you?" she asked, confused._

" _Yeah. It started talking, but it wasn't my voice. It sounded weird."_

" _Weird how?"_

" _Like it was all scratchy and stuff," Yang explained. Summer shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her fingers twitched upon the tabletop._

" _And you are sure this as your reflection talking to you? It wasn't someone else."_

" _No, it was me," Yang said confidently. "Everything else is kind of blurry, but I know that it was me."_

 _Summer's entire posture had shifted; she leaned in over the table, hunched over, her eyes transfixed to her daughter's confused face, her lips pulled back tightly. The words were spoken with such unease that she wasn't sure to believe them, but their echoes struck a toxic memory within her, and it as enough to draw the attention of any adept Huntress._

" _And Yang, do you remember what it said to you?" Summer asked worriedly. Yang had undoubtedly noticed her growing concern, but Summer could not dwell on that, not if her suspicion turned out to be true._

" _It…" Yang stammered nervously, her awkwardness only serving to further draw Summer's attention, "It told me that I needed to, um… kill all my friends."_

 _Summer became locked in her seat, unable to respond. Yang had detected her concern, and averted her gaze, muttering softly to herself._

" _Is that not normal?"_

" _Uh, no, of course, it is," Summer stated quickly, trying to hide her panic. She glanced over her shoulder across the open access doorway to the kitchen. Her husband sat on the couch in the living room, fixated on the television screen with mild aggravation. She pushed herself up from the table and flashed her child a nervous smile. "Mommy just remembered something important she had to talk with Daddy about. She'll be right back, okay?"_

 _Before Yang could even respond, Summer abandoned her breakfast and hurried over to Tai, taking quick, uncomfortable strides. She tapped him on the shoulder three times, but he did not turn to her._

" _Tai, can I talk with you for a minute?" she asked in a hushed tone. Tai responded with a groan, his mind clearly lost elsewhere._

" _Is it about this story on Memoria?" Tai suggested, motioning to the television. "Seriously, how can the Schnees get away with stuff like that. Fucking Atlas."_

" _Language," Summer scolded without thought, "and no, not that. Walk with me for a second, will you?"_

 _Tai shrugged as Summer took him by the hand and led him to the base of the stairs, out of earshot of their eldest child. It was only after he was pulled away from the television that he noticed the extent of her concerns._

" _Were you listening to what Yang was dreaming about?" Summer asked quietly._

" _Not really," Tai admitted. "But whatever it is, maybe you should stop letting her eat so much candy before bed."_

" _Tai, she said that her reflection started talking to her. It told her to kill people."_

" _You should really stop letting her eat candy before bed."_

" _Are you honestly not worried about that at all?" Summer admonished him. "That doesn't sound the least bit familiar to you?"_

" _You're talking about her?" Tai asked dismissively. "It was one bad dream, Summer. You're overreacting to this."_

" _But don't you think there's a possibility?" Summer questioned. "She is Raven's daughter, after all. What if she inherited it?"_

" _We both know that's not possible. Raven's semblance was completely different than Yang's, and like you said, it was just a nightmare." Tai sighed, and made his way past Summer, taking his position again on the couch. "Look, I appreciate that you care so much, but I know Raven better than anyone, and Yang isn't becoming her. If the dream happens again, or if she starts talking to her reflection when she's awake, then we can freak out about it. In the meantime, I'd much rather worry about problems that exist in the real world, and not the one in my daughter's head."_

 _Summer considered his words carefully, and took a deep, calming breath. Perhaps she had gotten a bit too hasty. But still, something didn't seem quite with Yang. The young blonde still sat behind her cereal bowl, trying to listen in to her parent's conversation to no avail. Summer gave her a small wave, and then turned her attention to the television, where Tai had already refocused his gaze on. She could understand why he was distracted. Any news about the Kingdom of Atlas made her queasy, but there was something especially sickening about that day's stories. The news spoke about the Schnee Dust Company and their latest crowning development—Memoria, the largest Dust not just in Atlas, but in Remnant at large. Built into the side of a frozen valley, breaking through the majestic surroundings like a pickaxe, the Schnee Dust Company claimed that it extended miles into the earth beneath, its many caves stretching out like thick tendrils rooted into the stone. The structure employed thousands, who toiled away in the underground for petty wages as the overseers managed their profits from the towering headquarters on the surface. The rumors of human rights abuses weren't mentioned on the broadcast, but everybody had heard the stories of what went on below the place where the sun last reached. It was a shrine to everything Atlas and the Schnees stood for. Corruption. Corporatism. Subservience. It was a place where Souls went to die for their Kingdom._

" _It's not fair," Tai mused to himself. "Some people just get all the power in the world. You really wish that somebody could do something about keeping that damn place running."_

 _Summer nodded along, not even bothering to scold him for his language again. Tai had a point. She could barely stand to look at images of the structure before feeling her Soul revolt from within her. It was a hideous reminder of Atlas's true, broken nature. Someone really needed to do something about it._

* * *

"I suck."

"You don't suck."

"I suck, I suck, I _suck_."

"Ugh, stop being so hard on yourself. You're bumming me out," Yang groaned, clasping her hands together behind her head. Ruby kept her face hidden beneath her hood as she walked down the hallway with the rest of her classmates, her trembling arms held close to her chest. Her eyes were wide, and the other students stared at her, distracted by her heavy breathing.

"No, I am sucking so much. No one has ever sucked more than me," Ruby ranted. Yang simply rolled her eyes.

"I am sure that _somebody_ has sucked more than you. The fact you haven't finished last in every test means that you are at least less sucky than that Jaune kid."

"But not _that_ less sucky," Ruby said in frustration. "I dropped out of the first test in twelve minutes, and then I got knocked off the balance test because I was so busy trying to solve the puzzle that a cannonball hit me in the side of the head, and the Great Wolf—"

"Okay, I have no idea what you were thinking there," Yang admitted.

"If they didn't want me to play with the monster, why did they make it so cute?" Ruby said defensively.

"Fine, you're a little sucky, but it isn't the end of the world," Yang said casually.

"Easy for you to say. You're doing well."

"Please, no I'm not."

Yang—in her extremely humble opinion—was doing phenomenal. It was almost offensive how phenomenal she had been performing. For the past three tests, she faced adversity and not only came out unscathed but came out laughing. The endurance test: child's play. She could have held onto those buttons for hours. The balance test: Cakewalk. Her hand-eye coordination was unmatched. The agility test: could do it in her sleep. Great Wolves weren't all that scary when she absorbed enough of its own kinetic energy to just power through it. Her confidence practically burst from her skin, and the others had taken notice. It was not uncommon for random students to walk up and strike a conversation with her, asking her for advice or complimenting her on her skills, or simply attempting to seem close to her for the professors' sake. They knew just as well as she did that Ozpin was paying close attention to her, and they reasoned that if they seemed close enough, it might persuade his opinion on how to divide their teams and, more importantly, how to determine their rankings.

Team rankings were a concept that the students had only just become aware of after the completion of the third test. There were forty new students at Beacon Academy, and those students were separated into ten teams of four; that information was made clear from the start. What was not made clear as that the ten teams would then be judged on their overall level of skill and effectiveness, and would then be given an initial ranking which would determine their total—and only—grade for the semester. Throughout the year, their various tests would affect their ranking, until a final rank was revealed on the last day of the semester. The team at the top passed with the highest marks and were given access to special privileges, on top of bragging rights and the envy of the entire school. The teams at the bottom, however, were deemed as failures, and if a team received the bottom rank for both semesters in the year, they would be promptly expelled. It was merciless.

Not that Yang had to worry about that. Naturally, she was heading for the top rank. The only other person who could consistently outshine her was Pyrrha, and that was hardly something to get worked up over, even if it did slightly bruise her ego. It was entirely possible that Ozpin would put them on the same team together, and then it wouldn't matter at all who outfought the other. What Yang could worry about was her poor little sister, who seemed increasingly aware of the gap growing between them.

"My point is, Ruby," Yang continued where she left off, "we're not even halfway done. I mean, we just got done with a lot of physical challenges, and you're more of a brainy girl anyway, so I'm sure you're going to hit the next few tests out of the park."

"Did you even hear what Professor Goodwitch was saying earlier?" Ruby asked in disbelief. "We're doing a strength test today. Strength! That's not going to help at all."

Yang smirked knowingly. "Yeah… you'll get the one after."

"But I might not, and then what happens? I get dropped into the worst team, and then we all suck for a year, and then they kick me out, and I'm right back to being the loser that everyone thinks I am."

Yang rolled her eyes. Her sister's mind was hardwired for analytics, but the natural side effect as that she tended to overthink things. She used to be the same way when she was younger before their mom died. She always had to have things explained to her, and she was so worried about how the littlest actions affected other's perception of her that she would ponder her choices for hours before doing anything relevant. She was so serious-minded back then, it almost made her laugh. That child needed to relax and smell the flowers, let her mind wander and grow. Ruby never seemed to evolve through that stage. She had the soul of an idealist trapped in the mind of a realist, and Yang needed to give her a nudge to break her out of her mental prison.

"Ruby Rose, I am so disappointed in you," Yang stated authoritatively. "You are already giving up so easily. You built a freaking scythe out of scrap metal in our garage, and you don't think you have the skills to ace this test? The youngest student to ever get into Beacon Academy is going to give up on her dreams because she made a few simple mistakes?"

"Well, no—"

"Honestly, Ruby, you know what your negativity makes me think of?" Yang suggested. "You make me think that Atlas girl was right about you."

Ruby's head immediately shot up, and she yanked back her hood suddenly, her face like steel.

"You take that back."

"I mean it," Yang said matter-of-factly. "She said you weren't worth her time, that you shouldn't have even existed. Are you going to prove her right? Are you going to let that Schnee bitch get away with that?"

"Language," Ruby scolded her. She sighed. "But… no. I guess not."

"Then whip yourself into shape, dammit," Yang said proudly before giving Ruby a solid slap to the back, causing the smaller girl to let out an adorable yelp. "Let's show that test who's the boss. You ready?"

"Well, now I'm in pain," Ruby complained, rubbing the newly formed red mark on her spine.

"That's the spirit."

At the end of their path, the students were led into their next testing area, although at first, Yang assumed they made a mistake. The testing area was not a gym, or a chamber, or an obstacle course, but a classroom; a nice classroom, with thick wooden interiors and a wide-open space where the professor could give their lectures in front of two wide computer screens and a wide oak desk, but a classroom nonetheless. Professor Goodwitch waited in the center of the room, hands clasped behind her back, her posture straight as usual. Beside her was a heavy duffle bag, unzipped and packed to the brim with some unseen material.

"Welcome, students, welcome. Please take a seat. There's plenty of room."

Yang followed the directions cautiously, picking out an inconspicuous space in the back. She plopped into the chair next to her and kicked her feet back up on the desk. She turned to Ruby, but before she could speak, she realized that her sister had not followed her; like the good student she was, Ruby picked out a seat front and center, ready to partake in whatever game the professors had planned for them. Yang could only assume that they needed the classroom because the other students were going to watch her perform some kind of strenuous activity, and the bag would be filled with something absurd, like piranhas. Okay, maybe not piranhas, but after the last test, it was definitely some sort of ludicrous animal. An angry goat. A rabid platypus. An actual human fourth-grader. Something frightening.

As soon as the last of the students finished taking their seats, Goodwitch began to speak. "Well, students, I hope your first three tests have gone well. Hopefully, all of you managed to survive the last test. If not, I hope the bite marks are healing nicely." Goodwitch laughed, closing her eyes and placing a single curved finger to her chin, amused by the thought. Her shoulders shook up and down as she did so, and the laugh went on for twenty whole seconds before she regained her composure.

No one else laughed.

"Anyway, I'm sure you are all thinking—aside from how funny that last joke of mine was—why you are in one of our many advanced classroom units for today's test. Well, the answer to that is twofold. One: we at Beacon Academy thought it would be appropriate to give you a tour of the facilities you will be using for most of your time over the next four years. Second: this room happens to be the perfect such environment to give a test on the concept of strength."

One of the students in the front raised their hands: Cardin Winchester, the stupid boy from the party that tried to hit on Yang all those days ago. The moment he opened his mouth, she shuddered. "Uh, Professor," he asked arrogantly, "wouldn't a gym be a better place to test our strength?"

"Why, Mr. Winchester, that is a terrible question," Professor Goodwitch said without remorse. Cardin's confidence vanished, and several boys around him began to snicker.

 _Yeah, that is a terrible question,_ Yang nodded with agreement, despite the fact that she was pretty much wondering the same thing. Professor Goodwitch daintily bent over, and reached both arms inside the duffle bag, scouring around until she maintained a solid grip on whatever rested inside.

"See, Mr. Winchester, you horribly misunderstood what I was talking about, which is quite unfortunate. We're not going to be testing your actual physical strength today, or any other day for that matter. All of you are reasonably strong enough, and as any talented Huntsman or Huntress will know, one can easily amplify their strength by properly redistributing their aura throughout their body, which would make any actual test of strength quite useless. No, no, Mr. Winchester, today we are going to be testing your _concept_ of strength, and there is only one way in which we can test that."

With a grunt, Professor Goodwitch bolted upwards, lifting from the bag the largest stack of papers Yang had seen in her entire life.

"Pop quiz!"

All at once, the atmosphere in the room drained. Yang practically felt her heart break in two. Pop quiz? Here? Now? At a Huntsman school? Was it a joke? Was there another secret test hidden behind it? Yang's vision went blurry. The room began to spin. She felt like she was back in middle school, and that was the last thing any human being wanted. Throughout the collection of disappointed groans and downtrodden students, Yang managed to catch something in the corner of her eye: a single red-headed student in the front of the room thrusting her arms into the air, and letting out a cry of victory.

"Oh, heck yeah! Get ready to get rocked, academia!"

Goddammit, Ruby.

Within moments, Goodwitch handed out the papers, followed quickly by the supplies: pencils, erasers, rulers, and of course, the dreaded calculator. All the while, she explained the basics of the test, but all Yang could focus on was the repressed memories of writing out long-form answers to algebra questions.

"It's a very simple test of ten questions about the various concepts of strength. Some calculations, some short answer, and _no_ multiple choice. Please answer all questions with the No. 2 pencils we provide you. When you are finished, simply place your test on my desk at the front of the room. Your rank will be determined first by the number of questions you answer correctly, followed by the time in which you completed the exam. And it should go without saying, but anyone caught cheating will be subject to all forms of academic punishment, including expulsion." The instant the last of the testing material was handed out, Goodwitch walked back to the center of the classroom, and tapped one of the computer screens, revealing a large digital clock, before she sat behind the desk and rested her hands beneath her head.

"There is no time limit to this exam, except the ones you make for yourselves. Testing starts now. Good luck."

The scramble was on, but Yang didn't move. She was still reeling from the fact that she was taking a pop quiz at a Huntsman Academy, for material she never studied for. All right, it wasn't like she used to study for the tests she _did_ know about, but still, it was bad. The other students around her seemed to recover from the shock, having already begun to read over the instructions. However, judging by the confused moans, the test did not seem to be doing them any favors.

Yang took a deep breath. She was psyching herself out over nothing. She literally just gave Ruby a whole speech about how not to do that. It was just another test in a long line of tests she had already aced. She could handle anything Beacon through at her. She fought her way into that Academy tooth and nail, and she would be damned if she let a piece of paper take her out of the game. Hell, she punched a giant wolf in the face the other day. Paper was nothing. Paper was her bitch. She just needed to take the test like she took life, moment-to-moment, one step at a time.

She looked down at the paper and read from the top. It asked for a name, so Yang gave it one. _Yang Xiao Long_ , she wrote in neat letters on the space provided. There, easy-peasy. Nothing to worry about. On to the first question.

 _Question 1: A Huntsman has an average BMI of 25.5 at six feet and two inches. They stand in front of a rocky cliff that is three hundred and thirty-seven meters high, partitioned into seven segments positioned at the following degrees: twenty, thirteen point seven, twelve point seven, twenty point two, zero, ten point five, and forty point one. The Huntsman has a lead ball chained to his legs with the following proportions: height of seventeen centimeters…_

Yang read several more sentences, her eyes glazing over until she finally came to the actual relevant part:

… _What is the average amount of force the Huntsman expends during his ascent up the rocky cliff?_

Yang squinted, drawing the piece of paper closer to her face. It took her a few seconds, but upon closer examination, she could officially come to the conclusion that she had no idea what the hell was going on. The average amount of force? How was she supposed to know how to calculate physics, assuming that actually _was_ physics and not some incantation for a magic spell. They didn't bother giving her any formulas or anything that could be useful. They didn't even give her any units. In fact, they gave her a bunch of contradicting units. Did they want her to convert units of measurements? Did they expect her to know what the conversion rate for imperial to metric was, because nobody knew what that was? No one ever, in all of history, figured out how to do that correctly.

Yang had spent ten whole minutes glaring at that problem, unmoving, her eyes narrow and her mouth hanging wide open. She couldn't stick there forever, especially when she heard the sounds of pencil scratching against paper, indicating that at least one person in the universe knew how to convert feet to meters. She shook her head and decided to move on to the next question. They couldn't all be impossible, right?

 _Question 2: It is said that ninety percent of the Human species is right-handed. Please write a list of every muscle, bone, and ligament in the right arm (including hands and shoulders). Use complete sentences._

Nope. Impossible. Maybe even more so, because she didn't think that Goodwitch handed out partial credit. That said, she was able to jot down at least one body part she was sort of familiar with— _Humerus aka funny bone_. Nailed it.

After another five minutes, Yang gave up again, and moved on to the third question. After physics and human biology, she could only assume the next question was based on something chemistry-related, like strength-determining hormones.

 _Question 3: Jenny's mother recently passed away from cancer. Please write her a nice letter to show her that you will stand by her as a friend in her time of need_.

Or… emotional strength. That too, she supposed. Seriously? Emotional strength? Yang couldn't figure it out. How was this supposed to determine anything about being a Huntress? How was this anything but tangentially related to the concept of strength?. And while she was at it, how come the first question was written so specifically, but the next two questions were vague as hell, like a completely different person wrote them and never bothered to check for consistency. She could almost guarantee that the next question would involve more math, and it would bombard her with more details than she could bear.

Yang almost spent another full ten minutes ranting inside her own head about how stupid the test was, and worse, how stupid it made her feel. A part of her kept telling her that she wasn't expected to know any of that information, but that was hardly a comfort, because even if she was supposed to fail the test, there was clearly something else she needed to do for the test, and she couldn't figure that out either. No matter what, she was letting someone down because she wasn't smart enough to put two and two together, or more likely, two point seven and fifty point three together. Or something. God, was anyone at all supposed to be able to finish this?

And that was when she finished it. Yang had been so caught up in her internal rant that she almost didn't notice the girl from the middle of the room stand up, and walk towards the desk, long red hair flowing behind her, golden boots clanking softly on the tiled floor. By the time she reached the desk, everyone in the room had noticed and was staring at her in disbelief. The girl stood awkwardly in front of the desk as Goodwitch checked the time on the board, amazed that a student stood before her with a fully completed exam in just under half an hour.

"Hello, Professor," Pyrrha said cheerily. "You said we can turn this in when we finish, correct?"

"That… that is true," Goodwitch stated, mildly pleased. "Just leave it on the desk right here."

"Absolutely, ma'am," Pyrrha said happily. She carefully placed her test face down on the desk, perfectly straight and center, as was expected of her. "I hope I didn't cause too much of a distur—"

"Finished!"

And that was when _she_ also finished: the other red-haired child sitting in the front row. With reckless abandon, she jumped over the top of her desk and crudely smacked the test down on top of Pyrrha's in front of a stunned audience. The students and even Professor Goodwitch could not believe their eyes: a student had come mere seconds away from beating Pyrrha Nikos.

"Sorry if I misspelled a few of the muscles," Ruby said with a sheepish grin. "Also, you didn't give any specifics, so I rounded all the calculations to three decimal places. I hope that's okay."

"Uh, yes, that's quite fine, Miss Rose," Goodwitch said, completely stunned. "You are now free to leave."

"Sweet," Ruby said excitedly before turning to Pyrrha and raising her hand. "High fives for the First-Ones-Done Crew!"

Pyrrha looked uncomfortably at Ruby's open hand for a long moment, seemingly unaware of what to do with it. Eventually, however, her confident smile returned and she Ruby a satisfying smack on the palm.

"Yes. It is good to be a part of that, isn't it?" she said, trying to piece the words together as she said them. The newly founded crew left the room together, and the students took the opportunity to watch them go as a break for their accumulated weariness. Yang kept her eyes on them the longest, discombobulated. On one hand, she was proud of her sister for overcoming her slump. On the other hand, her sister just thoroughly outclassed her in front of the entire student body. Yang turned back to her test, and without even thinking, placed her pencil on the paper, and immediately wrote: _Dear Jenny, Sorry your mom is dead. That sucks. Call if you need to. Love, Yang._

* * *

Eighty minutes and thirty students later, Yang emerged from the classroom, and collapsed on the floor. Her spirit had been drained long before the final question. By the end, she had given up entirely, making up random bullshit calculations on the spot and haphazardly throwing big-sounding words together to try to make a somewhat decent paragraph. There was no doubt in her mind that she got everything wrong, and it sucked. It really, really sucked.

"Well, looks like you did well for yourself," Yang suddenly heard a voice say. She peeled her face off the ground and saw that Shadow Girl sitting against the wall just outside the classroom door, her eyes fixated on the thick novel between her finger. The Shadow Girl—no, Blake—didn't bother saying anything else as Yang picked herself off the ground.

"Did you wait here all this time just for me?" Yang tried to ask with cockiness, but it simply came off as desperate.

"I like sitting by here. Watching people suffer through emotional hardship and depression fuels me," Blake explained. She paused for a brief moment. "Also, it was getting noisy in the room when more students started arriving, so I left."

"Well, your optimism is always welcome," Yang said with a half-smile, which went unreturned. "So, how do you think you did?"

"Pretty well, actually," Blake said, refusing to make eye contact. Yang groaned. Of course, Blake would do better than her. _Everyone_ did better than her. That being said, Blake did have a particular confidence about her, and upon reflection, Yang realized why. Although she had stopped paying attention to the front of the room a long time ago, she did recall seeing Blake finish relatively early compared to the rest of the students. Perhaps she wasn't as knowledgeable as her sister, but she was no slouch when it came to intellect.

"Can I ask you something then?"

"Depends what it is."

"How did you figure out that lady's bone density?" Yang asked. That question was enough for Blake to look up from the pages of her book, and give Yang a confused glare.

"What bone density?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know, question seven," Yang explained. "There were the three ladies all lifting each other, and you had to find the middle one's bone density. Did you figure that one out, or are you not sure?"

Blake titled her head, her gaze narrowing with suspicion. "Wait a second… you didn't actually try to _answer_ the test, did you?"

Yang returned the confused glare. "Did you not?"

"Well, that explains what took you so long to finish," Blake stated. "Do you remember what Goodwitch said at the start about how our tests were being graded? First, they are based on correct answers, and then they are based on time."

"Yeah, but you would get a zero if you didn't answer anything," said Yang.

"You got a zero and you _did_ answer everything," Blake countered. "Everyone got a zero. No one was supposed to know the answer, except for your sister and Miss. Perfect, apparently. That meant the only thing relevant was handing in your wrong sheet of paper the fastest. Think outside the box."

"Well, that's…" Yang raised a finger in contention, but the more she thought about it, the less she had to argue with. "Shit, that's actually kind of clever."

"Yep. That's a Beacon Academy test for you," Blake said, turning her attention back to her book.

"Okay, but why did it still take you like forty minutes to finish the test?" Yang asked, confused.

Blake simply shrugged. "I didn't want to be the first to hand it in. It would have given away the secret to everyone else, and I don't need that attention from the faculty or the students. Also, Jenny's mom just died of cancer. I had to write her a nice letter."


	9. Pressure

**Note: What is this? Two chapters in one week? Madness, we hear you cry! But it's true. It's time for the story to continue already, and after some more lighthearted chapters, it's time for things to get a bit more intense. Enjoy.**

* * *

"I swear, this year is remarkable," Glynda said, clicking her tongue to the roof of her mouth. She pressed her finger to the monitor wall before her, and dragged around one of the many pictures of faces until it reached a spot to her liking. "We might have the greatest young prospect in Beacon history attending our Academy, and… well, also the worst young prospect in Beacon history attending."

Ozpin merely sipped from his cup as he sat patiently at his desk behind her. She dragged the image of Jaune's nervous school photo next to Pyrrha's, and pursed her lips. "If this isn't the universe trying to balance itself, I don't know what is."

"Mr. Arc isn't that bad," Ozpin objected calmly. "At least, he is not as bad as Miss Nikos is talented."

"Hardly a compliment," Glynda dismissed him. "I am feeling quite tempted to place him and Miss Nikos together in the next test. I believe the result would be fascinating."

"Fascinating, yes, but hardly productive," Ozpin reminded her. With a flick of her finger, Glynda sent Jaune's photograph flying across the screen. The night was late, yet she still worked as tirelessly as she did many hours earlier. Her choices needed to be perfect for optimal results. However, her frustration was beginning to show through.

"I'm aware. It is simply difficult to find someone who actually _could_ be partnered with her. I was considering Miss Xiao Long, but after that exam score—"

"Useless, yes. Quite a shame," Ozpin agreed. "What about her sister?"

"Miss Rose? Not possible," Glynda said sternly, tapping the still image of Ruby and dragging it towards her, examining it.

"And why would that be? She finished her previous tests mere seconds behind Miss Nikos. She even answered most of the questions correctly."

"True, but one test hardly exonerates her for a string of disappointments," said Glynda. "Besides, I have a much better match-up for Miss Rose planned. I think you'll be quite pleased with it." Glynda reached up to the corner of the screen, and dragged another student down to rest next to Ruby. Ozpin glanced up from his cup, and smirked at the pairing.

"Oh, Glynda, that is simply cruel," he said, deeply amused. Glynda released a satisfied sigh.

"Thank you very much, Headmaster. I try my best."

* * *

Ruby leaned up against the wall outside the classroom, eagerly waiting to be summoned inside. She could hardly believe she was actually looking forward to competing in another test. Just the day before she had been nothing put a petrified mess barely willing to continue with her studies. But after nearly toppling the best in the class, she felt she was ready for anything. Her heart no longer raced in her ear. Her no knees no longer shook so much that they threatened to take the weight out from under her. It was almost like she had been reanimated, awoken from an eternity-long curse.

She theorized that Yang was right about the nature of the exams. First, they tested her physical attributes, and now they were preparing to test her mind. Fortunately, her mind was the best part of her. On top of that, momentum was on her side. If she could just perfect the next three performances, she would be all set for a comeback, though she still wasn't sure what to expect from Beacon next. Her best bet was a weapon's test. Her reasoning was sound: a school in which students were to spend their lives devoted to fighting needed to show that they could actually fight, and so far, they hadn't seen anything of the sort. Only the Great Wolf battle came close, but they weren't even allowed to use their weapons during that encounter. If they had, Ruby might not have gotten distracted by how absolutely adorable the giant dog was and actually could have completed the task with a decent time. But, that was in the past. She needed to focus on the future, assuming that Professor Goodwitch would eventually let her into the classroom.

Six minutes passed before Ruby decided to knock. She tried to be somewhat subtle about it; simply three short raps on the hard wood. There was no response. Was she right to assume that someone was even in the classroom at all? She reached for the handle and gave it a slight jiggle. The room was definitely locked. Someone had to be inside. They were just biding their time. For what?

Footsteps. Left. Down the hall. Behind the bend. Thin, yet resonant on the metal. Professor Goodwitch? Impossible to tell. Too distant. Their pace: rapid. Hurried. Determined. But not Goodwitch. Ruby could tell as they drew closer. Their noise: wrong. A bit too thick. Too much echo. Goodwitch wore stilettos. More clacky than clangy. Boots, maybe? No, too light. Search for the happy medium: boot heels. Like wedges. Someone who wore wedge heels was coming closer, and the second that thought entered Ruby's mind, she felt her heart sink.

Sure enough, she came around the corner at a rapid pace. Her clothes were different, and yet they were exactly the same. Instead of a silk and lace dress, she wore a white button-up coat and long black leggings, but they still bore the patterns of snowflakes, and her feet were still contained within the same heels. Her hair was styled to the side, but it was as pure white as ever, and though her two pendants were out of view, Ruby was still confident she wore them. And when Weiss finally turned the corner and noticed Ruby standing in front of her, her reaction was exactly the same as Ruby expected it to be.

"Um… what are _you_ doing here?"

Ruby shouldn't have expected any better attitude, either.

"I'm getting ready to take my next test," Ruby explained cautiously. Weiss folded her arms over her chest and sneered, stopping dead in her tracks several feet away so she wouldn't have to get any closer.

"Well, you're going to have to wait your turn, because I'm supposed to be taking my test now. Professor Goodwitch literally just called me here."

" _Well_ ," Ruby countered, "Professor Goodwitch called me here too. So—I guess—that means we're taking the test together?"

"Oh, no we are not," Weiss snapped instinctively, recoiling at the thought. "We are not doing anything together. In fact, if I recall correctly, the last time we spoke, I told you that I would kill you if you ever spoke to me again."

Weiss was wrong about that. Of course, their first encounter was memorable, and Weiss did say that she would kill Ruby if they ever looked at each other again, but it wasn't their last meeting. Ruby could not discard that one moment in the bathroom together when they were separated by thin stalls, enough to block each other's gaze but not each other's voices. It was natural that Weiss would try to ignore it, and Ruby couldn't fault her. That first test was painful for the both of them. Still, Ruby couldn't forget how pitiful her sobs were, how much pain she sounded like she was going through at that moment, and when Ruby applied those memories to the Schnee standing before her, cold as the colors that made up her outfit, it became increasingly difficult for her to actually get offended.

"Look, Weiss," Ruby moaned, "I think the two of got off on the wrong foot."

"You don't say?" Weiss asked snidely. "Which one? The one who tripped over when you knocked into me?"

"I already said that I was sorry," Ruby explained desperately. "Are you really going to keep hating me because I tripped into you that one time?"

"I don't hate you just because you tripped into me." Weiss rolled her eyes. "I don't know whatever weird version of me you created in your head, but I'm not _that_ shallow."

"Then why _do_ you hate me? Please, tell me so I can fix it."

"Trust me, it's a lot of things," Weiss muttered.

"Like what? My attitude? My looks? My hobbies?

"I just don't like you," Weiss stated factually. "Something about you just rubs me the wrong way. I don't know what, but it's enough for me to know that the less time I spend talking to you, the better. Now, before we keep pointlessly chatting even longer, I'm going to go look for Professor Goodwitch and see if I can get her to swap you out with someone else—"

As if summoned, Goodwitch suddenly emerged from the locked room and stepped out into the hallway, taking a good hard look at the two students standing several feet apart from one another, and smiling devilishly at it.

"Good morning, Miss Rose, Miss Schnee," she announced. "Now that the both of you have arrived, I hope you are prepared to begin the fifth test."

"Actually, Professor," Weiss started, quickly straightening out her posture and bringing her arms down to her sides, "Ruby and I were just having a discussion about this, and we both came to the conclusion that it would be better if—"

"No, you can't switch partners. My test. My rules. Now, follow me. Hurry up now. We don't have all day."

And with that, Goodwitch disappeared back into the dark room, leaving Weiss standing in the middle of the hall with a blank-faced as she tried to process her anger and confusion, and Ruby standing by the entrance, wondering what the Professors had in store for a two-person exam. Ruby, however, being the good student that she was, quickly got over her surprise and followed Goodwitch into the classroom. Moments later, she heard Weiss mutter obscenities under breath, and the heiress grudgingly followed suit.

The two paused the instant they entered the classroom, not due to any dramatic change in scenery, but due to the fact that the room was completely dark, save for three podiums sat in the empty space by the blank monitors, illuminated by bright, overhead spotlights. They were arranged in a triangle, and Goodwitch quickly placed herself at the head, on which a pile of notecards had been assembled. Without further order, the students assembled behind their respective podiums, atop each rested a small metal trigger, small and round to fit perfectly in the palms of their hands. Ruby picked up the device and inspected it briefly. A red button at the top. Semi-translucent. She was fairly certain she and her dad played this very test back when she was ten.

"Well, students, welcome to your fifth test," Goodwitch said proudly. "I hope your testing experiences have gone well for you so far."

Ruby shook her head. She didn't know why. The tests mostly hadn't gone well, and if anyone knew it, it was Professor Goodwitch. Perhaps she was just hoping to earn her favor.

"Yesterday, we tested your strength and intelligence," Goodwitch continued. "Today, we would like to test your knowledge once again. Although, we weren't particularly fans of some of the—how should we say it— _longer_ times of completion. So, for this test, we are going to be testing your ability to act under pressure. Hence," Goodwitch gestured upwards, "the dramatic staging."

"Really?" Weiss asked, suspicious. " _That's_ why the room is set up like this?"

"Yes," Goodwitch stated blandly. "That is the reason."

"Are you sure it's not just because you _really_ like this kind of atmosphere?" Weiss questioned. "Because, this is like the second time we've had a test where we had to push red buttons. It's also the second test where we've had things on podiums, and I'm also pretty sure that it's the third testing room where everything is super dark except for some sporadic bright lighting. Are you sure you're doing this to help the test and not because you are running out of ideas?"

"Miss Schnee, I assure you that everything in this room has a specific purpose." She paused. "Although, if you have any suggestions for testing chamber design, we would be more than happy to take them."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "You know what? Forget I said anything."

"Very well, then." Goodwitch resumed the proceedings. "In my hands, I have a set of twenty-one questions about a wide variety of topics: history, science, politics, you name it. When I ask the question, all you have to do is press the button on that small device in your hand, and give your answer. Don't worry: These are questions you are actually supposed to be able to answer. However, if you get the question wrong, the other person will have a chance to respond. Additionally, you'll only have five seconds to answer after you press the button, so don't answer too hastily, or too slowly. Easy, correct?"

Easy. Very easy. If Ruby could correctly answer the questions from the other day, basic trivia would be no match for her skills. Of course, there would be a twist, but Ruby just had to stay calm, and she would prevail. They said, after all, she was supposed to act under pressure. What kind of pressure could they possibly add?

And then, with a sudden realization of fear, Ruby shot her eyes upwards towards the bright ceiling, which was… _not_ lined with sawblades ready to slowly descend and chop her into bits. Huh.

"Then let's begin at haste. Please, pick up your buzzers."

With no immediate threat of decapitation, Ruby took up her buzzer, and readied herself for the first question. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Weiss unenthusiastically do the same. Odds were she could get the jump on a distracted opponent.

Goodwitch picked up the first notecard and adjusted her glasses. Without further notice, the test had begun, and Goodwitch read the first question at a lightning-fast pace.

"Question one: The history of Remnant is typically divided into four major categories: the Age of Fire, Age of Dust, Age of Kings, and our current age, which is aptly named…?"

Ruby could barely process the Professor's words. She spoke with almost no pauses, and there was an emphasis and force behind each syllable which made the question feel like a barrage. Still, the verbal assault did not prevent her from snapping her thumb onto the button as fast as possible, and she saw the red device glow and vibrate as a result.

"Ruby?"

"Uh… it's the Age of Color," Ruby stuttered.

"Right answer. Follow-up question: It was named the Age of Color for what reason?"

Ruby instinctively pressed the button once more, and felt it come alive in her palm. "Color represents the triumph of creative freedom over the oppressive regime of totalitarianism."

"Correct. And the Age of Color began after which notable historical event?"

Ruby pressed her buzzer again before Weiss even had a chance to blink. "It followed the conclusion of the Great War."

"The Great War which both started and ended with battles on which northern island?"

Ruby's finger moved subconsciously. Were all the questions supposed that simple? She was going to be unstoppable. "Vytal. We hold festivals there to honor its conclusion."

"And the Great War led to the permanent destruction of which Kingdom?"

Ruby pressed again, yet the buzzer did not sound. It was then she finally heard the device ring out, but instead from the podium opposite to her.

"Mantle," Weiss said efficiently. "The Kingdom was forced to surrender conquered territory to Vale, and was reestablished under new government to form Atlas."

"Correct, Miss Schnee," Goodwitch mused. Ruby looked at Weiss for no more than a second, but the woman she saw was completely different than the one she was talking to just moments before. Whatever half-heartedness the Schnee bore previously had been struck away from the humiliation of losing four questions in a row to a woman she despised. Weiss did not smile at Goodwitch's remark. She did not roll her eyes or sneer. She simply stared directly ahead at Goodwitch, her face blank, determined, her bright blue eyes burning with a passion to shut Ruby down.

Ruby turned back towards Goodwitch, her palms starting to sweat. The test was going to be harder than she thought.

"The score is four to one for Miss Rose," Goodwitch announced. "Onto question six: Vacuo is ruled by a parliament comprised of one hundred members. Holding fifty-three seats, which of Vacuo's three major political parties is in the majority?"

Ruby went to press the buzzer but paused. Vacuo's government? She had half assumed Vacuo didn't _have_ a sitting government, considering how useless they were. She had only ever been educated on Vale's sitting government, and even then, it was hard to keep track of everything. But, for someone whose company routinely did business in Vacuo, the answer was obvious.

"The Free People's Party."

"Precisely, Miss Schnee. Now, which of you can tell me the name and position of the head of that party?"

Ruby buzzed in as fast as she could. "President Lorn Tylvini."

Goodwitch shook her head. "Incorrect. Miss Schnee?"

" _Prime Minister_ Lorn Tylvini," Weiss answered effortlessly. The ghost of a smirk drifted over her face.

Ruby mumbled under her breath. Four to three. She got hasty. Careless. Weiss was getting to her. She had to relax. It was still early, and she had plenty of questions left to answer correctly. Still, no more underestimating her opponent. Weiss was getting serious.

"Question eight: in the Pantheon of Arillystos, the God Mother Nypha created which monster to pull the land up from the seas?"

Ruby. "Kraken."

Goodwitch accepted. Five to three. Space to breath. Weiss cat a venomous glance in her direction, but turned back quickly.

"Nine: The two major elements which make up are the composition of the sun are—"

"Hydrogen and helium," Weiss answered quickly.

"And the atmosphere of Remnant is comprised mostly of?"

"Nitrogen."

Darn it. Tied. Ruby tightened her grip on the buzzer as Weiss looked on confidently. Halfway there. No room for error.

"Question eleven: What was the initial purpose for the creation of the Huntsman Academies?"

Without even thinking, Ruby pressed the button and spat out the first thing she could think of. "To protect Remnant from forces of darkness."

Immediately after the words left her mouth, she wished she could take them back. Goodwitch simply stared at her with mild confusion. "Well, that's certainly a… poetic way of looking at it. But, no. Miss Schnee?"

"Border security," Wiess said plainly, though her tone contained more than a hint of smugness.

"That's more like it," said Goodwitch, adjusting her glasses. She shook her head once more. "Honestly, Ruby, maybe read more history books and fewer fairy tales in your spare time, okay? Your mother would have been disappointed in you for that one."

Ruby nodded shamefully. Internally, she resisted the urge to smack herself in the face. Of course, the Huntsmen were originally created for border security. Every school in the Kingdom taught them that. She didn't know what came over her. There was simply an overwhelming urge to say differently, as if some repressed memory bubbled to the surface and took control of her tongue. She should have wrapped the test up by that point; instead, she was losing to a girl who already acted like she was too good for her. Her mother really would have been disappointed in her.

Weiss, on the other hand, had no idea what her family would think of her performance, but it was increasingly hard to care. She was getting into the flow of things, and she felt unbeatable. That Rose girl probably thought she was going to win. She probably thought that Weiss wasn't smart, or quick, or perceptive enough to best her in a game of the mind, but she was wrong. Weiss may not have been an expert on physics or poetry, but she had the intricate knowledge of cultures drilled into her by the best schools in Atlas. She could tell from a simple glance that Ruby was struggling to keep up. The pressure was getting to her, and like all Roses under pressure, she would be crushed.

Roses. Mother. Atlas.

Something hit Weiss; a stray thought, formless but potent all the same. It rested just in the back of her mind, out of reach of her consciousness, but it was strong enough to register with her. Those words reminded her of something uneasy, something she felt was important. Something about that girl with the red hood. The name: Rose. Where had she heard that before?

"Question twelve: How many bones are there in the human body?"

The question brought Weiss back to reality. "Two hundred and six," she stated hurriedly, but her words had a certain emptiness about them. Ruby picked up on it instantly. She sounded suddenly dispassionate, almost like something else more pressing was on her mind. She hadn't a clue what it was, but where there was a weakness, Ruby knew there was a place to exploit it.

"Question thirteen: The formally recognized religion of the Kingdom of Vale is—"

"The True Faith" Ruby said, shifting forward on the podium. Weiss had not even bothered trying to answer the question, still too distracted by her personal conundrum. It was Ruby's one chance to catch up.

"Question fourteen: What is the name of the world's largest producer and seller of Dust?"

The force of Ruby's thumb almost snapped the button in two. "The Schnee Dust Company," she said excitedly. Goodwitch smirked with sheer delight at the irony. The tying question about one student answered correctly by the wrong person. Weiss, however, was barely paying attention anymore. Her brow was furrowed, and she did little more than cast occasional sideways glimpses towards Ruby, as if the girl was some grand puzzle box she was desperate to solve.

"Follow-up question: How do the Schnees obtain their large quantities of Dust?"

Ruby answered with growing sureness. Was Weiss even listening anymore? A part of her hoped she was, just so she knew how badly she was messing up. "They excavate it from the ground in large mines, then refine it in factories."

"And, Miss Rose, because of Dust's unique chemical properties, what happens it comes in contact with a kinetic charge?"

A kinetic charge? Had Goodwitch never expected her to use a gun before? It was quite trivial. "It explodes."

That was when it clicked, and Weiss remembered everything. Rose. Schnee. Dust. Explode. It came together too perfectly, and when she finally realized what the girl next to her was saying, she froze in total shock. The buzzer slipped from her hand and clattered on the podium, as she turned her head to fully study the smiling, cheery girl whose name whirled through her mind uncontrollably. It couldn't be. Here? At Beacon?

"Well," said Goodwitch calmly, "shall we move on to the next—"

"Wait," Weiss exclaimed. "We need to stop this test for a moment."

"Um, I'm afraid that isn't possible, Miss Schnee," Goodwitch stated, but Weiss ignored her, instead walking straight up to Ruby and getting directly in her face, staring intensely through her. Ruby leaned back in fear, as Weiss picked up on all the details she had previously noticed, but never truly considered. The Valian origin. The silver eyes. The proper age. It all made too much sense for her not to put it together, and yet she still could hardly believe it herself.

"Ruby Rose," Weiss asked strongly, her icy blue eyes unblinking, "you're not related to _Summer_ Rose, are you?"

"I… uh, I…" Ruby stammered. Her wobbly knees had returned in full force, and she felt a tremble run down her spine. Weiss knew. And soon, everybody would know.

Ruby never had the chance to respond, as Goodwitch calmly took her place, and made the situation even worse. "Miss Rose does, in fact, happen to be Summer Rose's daughter."

Weiss backed off, turning her fury to the Professor. "Are you… are you kidding me?" she asked in disbelief. "Summer Rose's daughter? _The_ Summer Rose's daughter? And you actually accepted her into Beacon Academy?"

"Are you saying Miss Rose doesn't deserve to be in this Academy?" Goodwitch asked, never rising to malice or frustration.

"The Academy? She shouldn't be anywhere in this Kingdom," Weiss declared. "If I was Summer Rose's daughter, I wouldn't disgrace the Huntsman legacy with my name."

"Miss Schnee, I would suggest we put this behind us and return to our test."

"The test? I'm sorry, but," Weiss said incredulously, "why the hell should I take a test with the daughter of the worst terrorist in Atlas history?"

Terrorist. That finally seemed to get Ruby's attention. "Don't call my mom that," she muttered quietly.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Weiss asked angrily. Ruby spoke up, her eyes glued to the floor.

"Don't call my mom a terrorist," she said more sternly.

"Why not? That's typically what we call the people who did the things that she did. You _do_ know what your mom did, right? Or did Vale whitewash that along with everything else?"

"My mom was a good person, Ruby said defensively. Weiss scoffed at the thought.

"Your _mother_ ," Weiss said with contempt, "triggered the explosion which caused the collapse of Memoria, the biggest Dust mine on the planet—my _family's_ Dust mine. Over a thousand workers were buried alive in that collapse. Thousands more injured. Billions in economic damages to us and the government. Kingdom-wide panic and disarray. Do those _sound_ like the actions of a good person to you?"

"I'm… I'm sorry, but—" Ruby said desperately, but Weiss was having none of it.

"I'm sorry? Do you think that's supposed to make me feel any better? Do you think that's going to undo all of the damages she caused us?"

"That's not the point," Ruby said, her frustration reaching a boiling point.

"Then what?" Weiss asked impatiently. "Why are you so willing to defend her? Because she's your mom? Because she fed you? Why?"

"Because she didn't do it!" Ruby finally screamed. Weiss took a step backward, startled by the declaration.

"Excuse me?" she asked, offended.

"My mom didn't destroy Memoria; _you_ did!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing her finger accusingly at the Schnee. "I've studied the collapse of Memoria a hundred times since Mom died. The Schnee Dust Company did not construct the mine properly. They got cheap. Cut too many corners. The cave pattern they dug out was unstable, twisting in on itself. They skimped out on the proper safety equipment to prevent the Dust from reacting to the tools they were using. They hired untrained Faunus to save out on labor costs, and packed a dozen times more of them into the mine at a time than they were supposed to. It was a catastrophe waiting to happen, but when it finally did, Atlas knew they couldn't put the blame on the Schnees—not the most powerful family in the Kingdom. So, they found an innocent Valian Huntress and kidnapped and framed her for their own mistakes. If it wasn't for your family's greed, my mom would still be with me."

"How… how dare you slander us like that!" Weiss snarled. "What gives you the right to spread lies about us like that? Are you actually so dense that you would try to blame us for killing our own workers?"

"I've read up on your company. It wouldn't be the first time," Ruby said in retort. Weiss, having enough, stormed back over to Ruby, and unleashed everything she had.

"You know what? I finally realized why I hate you so much. You like to pretend that you're all victims," she professed. "You and this whole damn Kingdom act like you're friendly and innocent, but you're just waiting for your chance to stab us in the back, to take everything my family has ever built and tear it all down. I'm sick of all your childish bullshit. I'm sick of these stupid, pointless tests that don't teach us anything. I'm sick of this school, and this Kingdom, and I am sick of you, Ruby, lying about my family, making up horrible stories about everyone close to me so you don't have to deal with the fact that your mother was a shitty person. Here's a truth bomb for you: you're not the hero in this story. My family and my Kingdom aren't a bunch of soulless monsters conspiring against you. We're just people trying to survive in the shitty world like everyone else by doing whatever we have to, and your mother decided that apparently, we didn't deserve that privilege. She was a monster like everyone else in this damn Kingdom, and you know what? She got what was coming to her."

Ruby tried her hardest to rationalize Weiss' behavior. She tried her hardest to think of the same girl crying alone in the bathroom, and how alone she must have felt being separated from her family and friends by an impassable border. She tried her hardest to think about the unending stress she had to endure over the past several days, and the undue burden placed on her shoulders. She thought about the rough upbringing she must have had, and how it hardened her past the point of empathy. She really tried her best to rationalize those words somehow, to justify them, to make them hurt less. But she could not.

Which was why Ruby, her fist clenched, let out a scream and punched Weiss in the face.

Weiss was knocked back hard by the blow, stumbling into her podium and falling to her knees. She covered her nose with both hands, which blocked her muffled screams of pain. Ruby grabbed onto her hand, her knuckles burning. It was the first time she ever directly punched someone, and it hurt far more than she expected it to, but it still felt good. Too good. So good she wanted more. She took another step forward towards her defenseless test partner, but it was at that moment that Professor Goodwitch decided that she had seen enough, and stepped in front of Ruby to block her path.

"Miss Rose, this test is finished," she said forcefully. "You've done enough for the day. Go back to your bed this instant."

"But—"

"Don't argue," Goodwitch demanded. "You've done enough. Now go. I have to take Weiss to the infirmary."

Ruby looked past Goodwitch, and her anger subsided. Weiss' eyes were tightly shut, and her breathing had intensified as she rested against the podium, her shoulders shifting dramatically up and down. Her pain was intense. Likely cause: a broken nose. An injury that Ruby herself caused. She did not say another word as she followed Goodwitch's instructions, leaving the darkened classroom with haste. She began to walk down the hall back to the barracks where she slept, but she only made it a few feet before she collapsed against the nearby wall, and burst into tears.

She had never meant to hurt another student. Would she be expelled? She had no idea. She had never expected it to be so easy to give into the instincts that she didn't even know she had. She had simply failed under the pressure.


	10. Lightning and its Bottle

**Note: We're back again. It's a pretty short chapter this time, but that's because the next few chapters are going to be pretty eventful. Still, we figured this would be as good as time as any to add in some important characters-ones you probably thought we forgot about. We'll keep trying to update every week or so throughout the summer, so stay tuned for more. Enjoy.**

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"Today, students, we are going to test your skills in combat."

They were the words Ruby had been waiting to hear all week, and yet she felt nothing when they were finally spoken. Even as her classmates buzzed with anticipation, their weapons in their cases by their feet, ready to be unlocked and polished and tested like never before, Ruby couldn't help but feel miserable.

It had been a pretty rough few hours. Punching Weiss in the face hadn't exactly sat well with the faculty, and she spent most of her night sitting in Ozpin's office as they debilitated whether or not to expel her from Beacon Academy. It was only made worse by the fact that Weiss sat right next to her the entire time, pressuring the staff to get rid of her by the end of the night. Even through a semi-busted nose, her ability to drag Ruby through the mud was impeccable. The worst part of it was that Ruby was inclined to believe her. She didn't like seeing herself as a violent person. Sure, she wielded a giant mechanical scythe, but she could mentally pass that off as her tool to guide her heroics, the weapon of a Huntress protecting the world from darkness. Punching someone in the face, feeling the snap of their cartilage beneath her wrist, however, was something entirely different. Like she was a thug. A miscreant. A coward.

It was only by the strong encouragement by Goodwitch that she was saved from an embarrassing journey home, and it was through the Professor's testimony that she received her only true insight into the mind behind her recent failings. Goodwitch openly admitted to Ozpin that she was the one at fault for the violence; not just in that she should have stopped Ruby before the situation got out of hand, but also in that her test was poorly constructed and far too lenient on safety standards. She stated quite openly to the room that she specifically designed the set of questions to draw out the latent tension between the pair of students, and—to Ruby's shock—she specifically focused on Summer Rose as a catalyst because she thought it would induce the most hatred and anxiety. She claimed that it was inevitable that the test would lead to a physical confrontation, and it was a miracle that Ruby was the only one to act on her aggressive impulses. She even went so far as to offer her resignation for endangering the well-being of her students, an offer which Ozpin respectfully declined. In the end, Ruby went off without punishment, save for a vengeful glare from the Atlasian and a bitter taste of regret.

She couldn't let go of the taste even as Goodwitch explained the rules of the test. They were back in the original testing area, except the stage had been lowered down into the floor from which the students watched from bleachers far above. Goodwitch stood in the center of it all surrounded by ten stone golems: seven-foot-tall knights made from condensed rock, each faceless, lumbering, carrying a heavy sword and shield and capable of following any command given to them without question. The student's purpose, Goodwitch explained, was to defeat them all in the fastest time possible—no strings attached. Ruby could have sworn that the Professor eyed her as she uttered the last part, and it only did more to worsen her guilt. And, to add the cherry on top of her miserable sundae, Goodwitch immediately motioned to the team of nurses waiting in the back of the room, explaining, "And hopefully, we won't need to acquire their services this time."

The actual test itself seemed simple. The stone golems appeared to be quite slow, although she would need to verify by watching a few other students' attempts. She doubted her blade could pierce the rock on its own, but her gaze had already drifted to the creature's joints and breaks in its foundation: its elbows, its neck, the back of the knees. A hooked, slashing weapon like hers could easily strike through those weak points, and combined with her speed Semblance, she was undoubtedly going to do just fine—assuming that Goodwitch was honest when she said there wouldn't be any tricks. Still, it didn't stop the sweat from running down her forehead and filling her palms, and when Goodwitch looked around for volunteers to begin the test, she sunk into her seat and tried her best to remain small.

"I'll go," a stern voice answered from the front row. A hand shot precisely into the air, and Ruby only had to take the briefest of glances at the embroidered pattern on her sleeve to feel the dread wash over her all over again.

"Thank you, Miss Schnee," Professor Goodwitch said enthusiastically as Weiss meticulously opened her weapon's case, and removed the glistening, spiraled sword from its velvet bed—Myrtenaster, she believed it was called. Normally, Ruby would spend hours ogling over its design, its every perfectly sculpted detail, but instead she could only visualize the crystal-clear image of Weiss stabbing it through her chest with a delighted smile on her perfect, pale face. Correction: imperfect, pale face, since as Weiss descended into the pit, she could quite clearly see the square, white bandage taped over her nose, just beneath the intensely focused glare of those two icy blue eyes. Watching her take form was almost hypnotic, from the careful adjustments in her grip and her posture, to the way she could watch her examine her enemies and formulate a strategy to strike them down in the efficient Atlasian manner.

A tap on Ruby's right shoulder, and for a moment her heart stopped. "So, nice punch."

Ruby jolted, turning around sharply only to be greeted by a mess of black hair and a face that never bothered looking back at her. "Wha—What now?"

"Nice punch," Blake said dryly. "She looks really mad about it. I wonder if she's fantasizing that those golems are you?"

"Uh, I don't… I don't know what you're—" Ruby stammered, but Blake simply shrugged it off.

"Don't bother. Everyone knows you did it."

"E-Everyone?" Ruby gulped.

"Pretty much," stated Blake, stretching out her arms as Weiss lunged forward and started her attack. "The other students won't shut up about it. It's the first piece of real gossip they've had since they've come here, so what do you expect?"

All the other students? How did they know? The only person she bothered telling about it was Yang, but her sister wouldn't tattle on her? Would Weiss? The staff? How thin were the walls at Beacon?

"Why'd you do it?" Blake asked suddenly, catching Ruby off-guard. "I overheard some boy saying that you did it because outperformed you in the last test, but that doesn't sound like you. So, why'd you do it?"

Ruby groaned. She really didn't want to get into the specifics, not after the last night. That being said, she had a sneaking suspicion that Blake would tell if she was lying. "Weiss said that my mom deserved to die."

For once, Blake actually looked Ruby in the eye. "Shit. That's pretty harsh."

"I thought so too," Ruby said sheepishly.

"I kind of get why, though," Blake admitted. She lowered her voice. "I mean—and correct me if I'm wrong—you _are_ Summer Rose's kid, right?"

Ruby probably should have been more surprised than she actually was. Instead, she sighed and grimly shook her head. "Yeah… pretty much."

"Hmm," muttered Blake with mild interest. She looked back at Weiss, who had battled her way through three golems, gracefully dancing and sliding around the battlefield.

"So, um, what _are_ they saying about me?" Ruby asked cautiously.

"Depends. Some think you're too immature to become a Huntress. Me personally? Given the circumstances, I think you should have knocked her lights out. That's what I would have done."

"I take it you don't like Atlasians all that much, then?" asked Ruby knowingly.

"Atlas, Vale… pick a time and a place and you're guaranteed to find someone committing an atrocity," Blake said distastefully. "I'm not really one to pick sides in their little shadow war, but it's hard to blame anyone for knocking the Schnees down a peg. Not even your mom."

"She didn't do it," Ruby objected.

"Maybe she didn't. It wouldn't be the first time they've destroyed lives to save their own asses," Blake muttered. "Hey, speaking of family, where's your sister?"

Ruby's face turned red as she gestured to the floor next to her. Blake peered over her opposite shoulder, and couldn't help but be impressed at the sight: Yang, wearing nothing more than a sports bra and her bright orange pajama bottoms, sleeping on the floor, her head cushioned by her tangled mess of blonde hair. Somehow, she had managed to put on her gauntlets before she passed out, and she gently muttered combative phrases as her fists subconsciously opened and closed.

"That's… almost impressive," stated Blake.

"I guess," Ruby said, softly tapping the tip of her boot to her sister's exposed belly. "Yang? Do you want to wake up now? It's almost time to test."

"Five more minutes, Dad. Fighting monsters," Yang moaned, turning to her side.

"How did I not notice her before?" Blake asked.

Ruby wasn't sure if she was genuinely curious or if she was just looking to steal Yang's stealthy technique, but she answered with a resounding, "No idea," all the same. Blake accepted the answer well enough, and returned to her silence. With her partner gone, Ruby tried to refocus herself on the matchup down in the pit below. Weiss, much to her chagrin, was actually doing quite well for herself. She had taken down half of the golems without so much as a scratch, utilizing the full capacity of her Dust-powered blade. She did not seem to be in a hurry, despite the time limit; to reach perfection, she reasoned, one must move with precision and patience. As such, it took another few minutes for her to wipe away the rest of the golems, and when she finally defeated the monsters, she turned to the bleachers, and gave a small curtsey out of habit, surrounded by large chunks of separated rock from the corpses of her foes.

And after the curtsey, she immediately locked eyes with Ruby, and with two locked fingers, flicked her wrist sharply through the air. Ruby did not need to know the gesture to understand its meaning: an Atlasian fuck-you.

Professor Goodwitch, either unaware of its meaning or uninterested, ignored the gesture as she returned to the center of the pit. She snapped her fingers, and all at once, the golems reformed; the stones pulled together and righted themselves until they stood rigidly in a line, good as they were minutes before.

"Thank you very much for volunteering, Miss Schnee," Goodwitch said pleasantly. "Would anyone else like to take their turn? You do all have to go eventually."

Ruby slumped in her seat. Goodwitch was talking to her. Of course, she was. She wanted her to go next, to fail spectacularly as petty revenge for her scornful encounter with Ozpin. Truly, Ruby was aware that Goodwitch was not nearly that vindictive, but in a damaged mental state, it was hard to think that way. She felt Goodwitch's eyes turn to her, and she knew that in a moment when no more volunteers approached, she would start randomly calling from the audience, and Ruby would be dragged centerstage.

"We're going!"

Or, possibly not. It was with surprise that Ruby turned to see someone bolt up from their seat on the far side, and storm towards the front of the room far too excitedly. It was a face unfamiliar to her. Short, bright orange hair. Black vest and a pink skirt. Long, thick boots stretching past her calves. A smile wide enough to fill the room. She dragged two things behind her: the first a long-hilted hammer, silver and glistening with a powerful rocket attached to its opposite head, and the second, a boy, tall and lanky, long black hair and a green and white suit, his face expressionless and yet somehow radiating unease. The pair, somewhat unwillingly, made their way hurriedly to stand before Goodwitch, and she stared right back at them, perplexed by their eagerness.

"Um, Miss Valkyrie, you are aware that this is a _singles_ combat test," Goodwitch stated. The girl, undeterred, released her grip on the nervous boy and placed her hand on her hip.

"Oh, come on, Professor!" she said, rolling her eyes. "Ren and I fight together. Right, Ren?" The boy said nothing, merely shaking his head in shame.

Nora Valkyrie. Lie Ren. Their names rang familiar in Ruby's ears. She had never paid much attention to them nor had bothered putting their faces to memory, but she was not sure why. The two had, after all, consistently performed well on the previous tests. Perhaps it was a case of having too much to focus on, and not enough energy to pay attention to it all. With thirty-nine other students in her class it was hard to keep track of everyone, especially when all anyone could ever talk about was how Pyrrha Nikos stood head and shoulders above the rest of them. But she recalled hearing something or another about the pair, about how their scores on every test were remarkably similar to each other's, almost as if they shared the same mind.

"You must know that I can't allow that excuse?" Goodwitch explained. "Aside from the fact that this is supposed to test your singular abilities, it wouldn't be fair to the other students."

"Then double the monsters. We can take them," Nora said confidently.

"But Miss Valkyrie—"

"Look, Professor, I get that we're supposed to do this alone, but Ren and I are a team," Nora stated. "We eat as a team, we train as a team, and we fight as a team. I mean, what's the point in having us fight alone if we're never going to do that in real life."

"You could very well fight independently if you end up on separate teams."

Nora smirked. "Are we actually _going_ to end up on separate teams?"

Goodwitch adjusted her glasses. "Well… it's possible…"

"Face it, Professor, Ren and I are inseparable," Nora said proudly, wrapping her arm around her lifelong companion. "The power of our friendship can't be broken by things like 'fairness' or 'rules' or 'ethics'. Let us go together. We'll kick all sorts of monster butt. Pleeeeeaaaaase?"

Goodwitch thought about it for a solid minute. At one point, she pulled out her Scroll and considered messaging someone, but she quickly put it away, and resumed her thinking. Eventually, she let out a heavy sigh, and brushed past the two students on her way to the exit.

"Wait here. I'm going to see if we have any more stone golems lying around," she said, irritated.

Fifteen minutes later, twice as many golems stood in the pit, awkwardly smushed together, side-by-side, as Nora and Ren prepared their weapons and Goodwitch watched expectantly from the bleachers with the rest of the class. By then, Yang had managed to stir, and she yawned as she looked on, confused as to their efforts.

"So, this is totally cheating, right?" she asked sincerely. "Or does this mean we can fight as a team if we want to?"

Ruby wished. Anything to reduce her stress would have been welcome. She observed as Nora took a few practice swings of her hammer, guiding the force of her movement through her hips, while Ren carefully loaded the Dust ammunition into his dual handguns.

"You ready to kick some stoney butt?" she smiled, nudging him in the arm. For the first time in the day, he responded, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

"Sure."

"Students, get ready!" Goodwitch called out. Nora nodded, and widened her stance, preparing for the battle ahead. Ren stood parallel to her, his arms crossed behind his back. The golems raised their weapons. "All participants have agreed! The trial begins… now!" The golems charged forward, their massive feet quaking the ground with each step. Nora, still smiling widely, watched them as they drew closer, preparing to strike. And Ren, without saying a word, quickly whipped out one of his guns and, without so much as a second thought, shot Nora in the side of the head.

The students watched with open mouths as Nora dropped suddenly to the ground, lifeless. Even the golems, soulless as they were, stopped charging and watched, their simple nature incapable of processing the events in front of them. Ren, despite murdering his best friend, walked behind her corpse unperturbed and holstered his weapons. Ruby blinked, and Yang spoke as if she read her mind.

"Holy shit, she's dead."

But then, movement. A chuckle. Nora returned to life, and rose to her knees, her smile unphased. It was then Ruby noticed the details of the blast, the lack of charring or scar of any kind on the wound, and the crackling energy which was only just materializing around Nora's skin. It took but a moment to put the pieces together. An electrical Dust bullet and a Semblance fit to absorb it; a very useful combination indeed.

"Ren, light me up!" Nora screamed, and at once the tranquility in her partner transformed into fury. His eyes widened, and with a sharp yell, he planted his fingers into Nora's scalp, and yelled as if his body were being torn apart. There was an overwhelming flash of light, and Ruby felt a tremendous blast of energy emanating from the pit. It did not knock her back, but rather it flowed through her, and she felt it empower her, strengthening her heart, sharpening her senses, opening her mind to new thoughts. She held up her arms to block the light, but she could not stop the power from affecting her, even from afar.

"Is… is he charging up her aura?" Ruby wondered aloud through gritted teeth.

"You can feel that too, right?" Yang responded. "It's like he's a battery or something."

An aura battery. It all became clear. No wonder Nora did not want to fight alone. She could channel electrical currents through her body to generate new power, and Ren could further amplify it past her normal limits. With that kind of strength—

"Ready or not, here we come!" Nora suddenly shouted, and she shot free from Ren's grasp, flying through the air like a meteor, her hammer pulled back from the rapid force. She aimed straight for the nearest golem, still standing around unaware of what had transpired. When she was close, she made her move. She slammed her feet into the ground before it, and carrying through her momentum, swung her giant hammer directly into its torso, instantly shattering it into a thousand fragments. The blast sent the nearby golems flying away, and even Ruby felt the kickback, which blew her hair out of her face. It was the strongest single blow Ruby had ever witnessed, beyond what she even imagined was possible. She was fascinated, amazed, and above all, terrified.

Goodwitch was going to need a lot more golems after that match.

* * *

Ozpin watched the screens with focused interest as Nora Valkyrie skipped off the field after a triumphant victory, with a noble Lie Ren in tow. Every year always brought him a number of remarkable students, and they were no exception. He had chosen his pupils well. He hoped they would be ready for the difficult tasks to come. But that was the future, and he still had to worry about the present.

There was only one test left to be completed before team selection. It was one he would have to administer himself.


	11. Team Day - Part 1

**Note: We're back again. We think we're going to stick with these slightly shorter chapters for a while because it lets us update quicker. Anyway, Happy 4th of July to all our fellow Americans, and to everyone else, Happy Wednesday. The first arc of our reinterpretation is almost complete, but before we wrap up, it's time to put together our teams...**

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Ruby stepped out of the elevator and felt a chill run down her spine. It was hard to fathom from the ground just how high Beacon Tower extended, and during the long ride, she had plenty of time to think about what the final test held for her. She had managed to complete the combat trial in a decent enough time—thank goodness for a speed Semblance—but with the one expected trial out of the way, she was clueless as to what was in store for her. When she entered Ozpin's office, the truth became even less clear. The office was expansive, yet almost empty, save for a single desk far in the back of the room. Behind it, the workings of a clock ticked away tirelessly, and through that, she could see the faint silhouette of a dragon claw resting dangling in the breeze. The Headmaster himself sat behind his desk, sipping a steaming cup of tea, alone in his own little world. Unnoticed, she took a few steps forward, until he finally called out to her, his voice warm and welcoming.

"I'm glad you could make it, Ruby. Please, take a seat."

Ruby paused by the entranceway, knees jittery, until she managed to shake the nerves out of her system and continue forward. Ozpin had found a spare cushioned seat for the occasion, and she lowered herself into it, the body swiveling as she made herself comfortable.

"So… I take it this is part of my final test?" Ruby asked nervously. Ozpin lowered his drink, and clasped his hands together. His desk was cleared of all unnecessary materials.

"Quite astute, Ruby." It was the second time he addressed her by her first name.

"Then, is Professor Goodwitch going to join us?" she asked hopefully.

"Glynda has had enough to stress about over the past few days. Considering that she has to put together the teams by sundown, I thought it would be best to take care of the final test by myself."

"Oh… okay," Ruby muttered, scratching her ear uncomfortably. "So, Professor, what do I have to do? Solve a puzzle? Answer trivia?"

"Nothing that complicated. All you have to do today is answer me honestly and openly."

"You want us to have a conversation?" Ruby asked, suspicious. He shrugged.

"More or less."

"But, why?" she questioned.

"Well, we've already tested your body and your mind. I've seen how you perform in combat, under stress, and against the unknown, and that is all very well and good for figuring out which how teams may operate together in the field. However, it is my general principle that teams work the best when they actually get along well together, so measuring your personality seems like the next logical step. So, will you open yourself up to me?"

"Sure. Whatever you want," Ruby agreed. Beacon always seemed to have new ways of surprising her. Ozpin took another long sip of his tea, and then straightened his posture, looking her dead in the eye.

"Wonderful. First question: How do you like Beacon so far?"

"Huh?"

"I want to know what you think of our Huntsman Academy. What kind of Headmaster would I be if I didn't listen to the concerns of my students?"

"Well," Ruby started, "It's certainly a… _big_ school. It has very pretty architecture."

"Do you like the faculty? Are they taking care of you adequately?"

"Sure. I mean, they're doing their jobs pretty well."

"What about the dragon?"

"Well, of course, I like the dragon. It's a dragon," Ruby stated with a small smile.

"Everybody does. Now, would you care to describe to me your opinions on the tests you've taken over the past week."

"All of them?"

"All of them."

"Do you mean if they were constructed well, or how I performed, or…"

"Anything you like."

"Okay, then," Ruby sighed. "Personally, I think I kind of sucked most of the time. I don't think I was really prepared for any of them. That's not your fault, or anything! And trust me, I'm not trying to make excuses for myself. It's just that… I came in thinking that it was going to be a lot different. I thought I would be training with my peers and building weapons, not fighting Great Wolfs and taking physics tests. The first two exams I got so worked up I couldn't even concentrate, and that pressure test—"

"Ah, yes. Your little incident. It was quite the drama for so early in the school year."

"Uh, yeah…" Ruby said quietly. "That wasn't exactly fun for me."

"I'm sure it wasn't. If you would be so kind, I would like you to discuss the incident from the fifth test in more detail."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. She sat cross-legged on the chair, trying to maintain her composure in such stressful times, but it was like Ozpin was trying to make her relive the most miserable part of the last few days. "What else do you need to know? You already heard my case."

"And quite a vigorous case it was. However, I am a bit curious about one thing, Weiss; something I was unable to ask you about before. When things were getting heated between you and Ruby, did you ever at any point consider striking _her_ instead?"

Weiss shook her head. "Absolutely not, sir."

"Now, Weiss, you said you would be honest with me."

She averted her gaze. "Well… maybe I thought about slapping her… just for a moment."

"Was this before or after she hit you?"

"A few seconds before, while she was insulting my family," Weiss explained. "I'm sure you know, Professor, but in Atlas, we take our family pride very seriously. You don't go around accusing people of murder and treason, especially not your blood. It's one of the most disgusting things I can think of. So, when she going off on me, I did _briefly_ consider hitting her. If she was actually in Atlas, that's likely how she would have been punished."

"And yet, despite your claims about family, it didn't stop you from saying some rather unkind things about her mother."

"No offense, Professor, but her mother was actually _guilty_ ," Weiss said sternly. "Respectable people have a right to their legacy. When you ruin the lives of millions, you lose that right."

"I see. That being said, I've heard of a few other incidents in which you've said some unflattering things to other students. It seems like you can be a bit harsh."

"Too bad," Weiss said defensively. "If people say and do stupid things and get in my way, I'm going to call them out on it. I don't care about protecting their feelings. The real world is going to protect them from getting their feelings hurt every time someone looks at them the wrong way, so I won't either. This is a Huntsmen Academy, not daycare. If they disagree, that's their problem, not mine."

"I… take it you don't have many friends here, do you?"

Blake rolled her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's an observation. You tend to stay around in the corners of the room, always reading and watching and listening, but never getting involved. Usually, students take their newly found freedom from their parents, and spread their wings. You've wrapped yourself up in a cocoon."

"I don't get along with people. What I can say?" Blake asked dryly.

"And why do you think that is?"

"I guess the world is simply too bright for the darkness of my cold, empty Soul," she shrugged.

"Your sarcasm truly knows no bounds."

"Thank you," said Blake, stretching back further in her seat and kicking her feet up on Ozpin's desk. If he minded, he certainly wasn't saying anything about it, and his face didn't show it.

"The reason I ask, Blake, is because now is usually the part of the conversation where I ask the students if there is any one classmate in particular that they would like to partner with. It's not a guarantee that you'll end up on the same team, naturally, but it usually gives us a good idea about who you might get along with over your tenure here. Every student is usually capable of giving me at least one student they would like to see on their team, but I believe I truly don't know if you are close enough with anyone here to answer."

"If you want a name, I'll give you a name," Blake suggested.

"Let me guess: Pyrrha Nikos?"

"Wow. How'd you know?" Blake moaned.

"Because you're the twenty-fourth of twenty-four students to tell me that you want to be paired with Pyrrha Nikos."

"Can you blame me? The chick got the highest score on every test. I didn't even know it was possible to be that big of a kiss-ass."

"Very funny, Blake."

"I try," she rolled her eyes. "Look, I really don't care whose team you put me on. Chances are, you've already decided, and this whole thing is just a front to make me feel like my opinion matters. As long as my teammates don't start annoying me to death, you won't be hearing any complaints from me."

"I see. So, aside from Pyrrha Nikos, are you sure there is no one else specific you would like to be paired with?"

Yang thought about it hard. She sighed, leaning forward in her chair, dejected. "Well, actually, there is someone else I have in mind."

"I thought so. And who would that be?"

Yang felt the guilt drip off her tongue as the words came out. "Blake Belladonna."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Really? Her, of all people?"

"I don't know why," Yang admitted. "We haven't even spoken all that much, but I just feel like we'd go well on a team together. Something just clicks with her, you know?"

"I see. I'm simply a bit surprised that you did not pick Ruby as your second choice."

"Yeah, about that…" Yang said slowly. "Look, Ruby and I have done everything together pretty much our whole lives. And, don't get me wrong, I _love_ Ruby to death. I really do. It's just that when I came to Beacon, I wasn't expecting to have to look after my little sister the whole time."

"You want the independence you were promised."

"It's not like that. Not exactly, anyway," Yang said, trying to justify it to herself. "Ruby has been dealing with a lot of stress lately, and it's eventually going to get to a point where she won't be able to rely on me for support anymore. I figure, maybe if Ruby and I are on different teams, she'll be forced to reach out more to the other students. She'll make new friends. She'll calm down. It's not like I'm abandoning her or anything. I mean, I'll still spend plenty of time with her and be in her classes and everything. But maybe if we're apart for a bit, she'll learn to stop being my little sister and start becoming more of her own person. This is for her sake just as much as it is for mine."

"Are you trying to convince me with that argument, or yourself?"

"Honestly? Both," she said with a nervous laugh. "Really, I'm more worried about what my dad would think of me saying this stuff."

"Parents can be quite fickle, can't they?"

"Yeah, I suppose so," Yang said with a nod.

"So, then, here's my last question: What do _you_ want to do?"

Pyrrha sat up in her seat. "Excuse me?"

"I'm asking you what you want to do?"

"About what?" Pyrrha asked, confused.

"About your future here. Did you know, Pyrrha, that I have called every new student up to this room, and every single one of them stated that you were the person they wanted to be on a team with. Every single one of them said you were one of the best they had ever seen. Even our staff won't sop raving about the fact that you are the first person in Beacon history to get the highest score on every test. But all that tells me is what they think. I want to know what you think."

"Well," Pyrrha stated, "I think that I want to be the best Huntress that I can be."

"That's a bit of a vague answer, don't you think?"

"Is it? I'm sorry, but maybe I'm still misunderstanding the question. If everyone else thinks so highly of me, that's very nice of them. However, I still believe that I have a lot more work to do before I get close to reaching that level."

"You're selling yourself short."

"Again, thank you, but I don't feel that way," Pyrrha answered truthfully. "I know I did all right on the tests, but I made plenty of mistakes that I shouldn't have. For example, I missed an early opportunity to move around the Great Wolf during the third test, and if that had been a real fight—"

"You would have triumphed."

"I would have fallen short," Pyrrha insisted. "But, that is why you put us on teams, I suppose, so that they are able to compensate for our shortcomings. Everyone here has been so nice to me, especially considering that I'm from a different Kingdom, and I don't want to try to play favorites by picking one person over another. I'm sure that whoever you choose to be on my team, we'll be able to work together wonderfully, Professor Ozpin."

"Hmm. You are wise beyond your years your years, Pyrrha."

"Thank you very much, Professor," she smiled softly. "Is there anything else you would like to ask me?"

"Honestly, I think this conversation has been more than productive. The test is adjourned. I will see you tonight during the Team Selection Ceremony."

"I will see you then, Professor," Pyrrha said gladly, rising from her seat. She exited with the same confidant stride she entered with, and then suddenly Ozpin was alone with the sound of a ticking clock. He gently sipped his tea. Forty students had come and gone, and it was almost sundown. Team Day was upon them, and it was almost time for him to make his choices. Fortunately, his mind was already made up. Ten perfectly balanced, expertly composited teams were fresh in his mind. It was time to unite them.

* * *

For the first time since inauguration, Ruby felt the auditorium buzz. It helped that for the first time all year, it was filled to capacity, as every student in the Academy packed into the room to watch the most exciting part of the new year. Their nervous and eager chatter permeated the space around her, until her mind was packed with nothing but stories about success and failures on each test, guesses about the structure of the team, and seductive gossip about their peers. Even the other professors had lined the stage, faces she had never seen before, and even they were openly discussing the possibilities of a new year. It was an experience she would likely never forget, and she and Yang happened to be sitting right in the middle of it.

"I can't believe we made it. Right, Ruby?" Yang asked breathlessly. "I mean, this is _it_. Our entire lives start tomorrow."

"Please stop saying things like that," Ruby pleaded.

"Oh, come on. You'll be fine," Yang insisted, but Ruby twiddled her thumbs and let her mind wander.

"What if we get put on a bad team? What if we get put on Team Ten? It's not like I did well on most of the tests other than strength, plus they're still mad at me for attacking Weiss."

"If they put us on Team Ten, then we'll just fight our way back up to Team One," Yang said encouragingly. "It won't be the end of the world."

"But what if they put us on separate teams?"

"Ruby—"

"I'm serious. I don't know who else I can talk to in this school if something goes wrong."

"Seriously, Ruby—"

"What if I trip on the stage?" Ruby screamed suddenly.

"What?"

"When they call me up to the stage, I'm going to trip on my cape, and then everyone is going to laugh at me, and—"

"Ruby, everything is going to be okay," Yang said forcefully, grabbing her sister by the shoulder. "Calm down. It's almost over."

Before Ruby could have another panicked thought, there was a loud clang, and the room suddenly went silent. All eyes turned towards the entrance, and they saw Ozpin slowly take center stage, making sure to appreciate every step, to draw out each moment until he finally came to a rest behind the microphone. Once he took the stage, the lights dim, and the empty wall in the back suddenly came to life, displaying a simple, vertical list from one to ten. Ozpin cleared his throat, and balanced himself gently on his cane.

"Good afternoon, students. First things first, I would like to welcome all of our upperclassmen and faculty back to Beacon Academy for the official start of the new semester. It is always a joy to see such happy faces and bright futures. Second, I would like us all to take a minute and congratulate our forty new Huntsmen and Huntresses for completing their team exams. They have worked tirelessly over the past week, and they deserve our utmost admiration and respect. Please, give them a hand."

The audience burst into applause, and Yang joined in, hooting and hollering in pure joy. Ruby clapped mostly to herself, trying to shelter herself from the noise. Eventually, Ozpin raised his hand, and the crowd fell silent.

"Teams. Since the formation of this Academy, we have trained the Huntsmen and Huntresses of the future in teams, to strengthen their abilities, to teach them how to cooperate with others in the field, to make them into the finest warriors they can be. A team is not just a combat unit, or a study group, but a family. You will eat with your teammates, sleep with your teammates, train with your teammates, and dedicate your time at this Academy to making your team smarter, faster, and better each and every day. As you know, we do not pass people based on their independent skill. Every individual's work, your tests, and your grades will contribute to your team, and it is as a team that you will either graduate and become Huntsmen and Huntresses, or you will fail. Once you have your team, there are no replacements. There are no do-overs. There is _no_ going back. It is for that reason that we have thoroughly tested you, we have studied your skills, your knowledge, your personalities, everything we could to ensure that you will be placed on the team that best suits you. We have judged. We have deliberated. And we are pleased to inform you that we have our ten teams for the new you." He paused for a moment, and then grinned devilishly. "Would you like to find out who's on them?"

The crowd practically exploded, until Ozpin managed to quiet them once again. "I guess that settles it. So, let's commence with the Team Selection Ceremony, starting at the top of the class with Team One. The four members making up this team are…"

Ruby took a deep breath. It was finally time. She couldn't put it off any longer, and her anxieties were killing her. She was always used to being at the top of her class, but this was a completely different story. With her old school, she knew what to expect. Now, she had no idea what her ranking would be, or what strangers she would be forced up, or how hard she would need to fight to make it to the top once more. Worse, even if she put in as much work as she could, she had no idea how dependable her partners would be. Would they drag her down to the bottom, forcing her to be expelled without doing anything wrong? It was like peering into a crystal ball, and the only person who held the answers was the strange old man taking center stage, reading out names.

"Pyrrha Nikos."

The perfect child rose out of her seat to thunderous applause. Ruby watched her carefully make her way to the stage, taking her place in the spotlight next to Ozpin, and she felt some of the weight leave her chest. That choice was obvious. Too obvious. Yet, being obvious meant it was rational. There was at least some proper logic behind their selection process, and even that trivial understanding served wonders to calm Ruby's nerves.

"Nora Valkyrie."

The lightning girl burst from her seat with a victorious scream. She hopped up and down in place, yet did not advance towards the stage until the next name was called.

"Lie Ren."

Before the shy boy could stand, Nora yanked him into her arms for a massive hug, and carried him through the bleachers and up the stairs onto the stage. Once again, a logical decision. Keeping the pair who worked so well together throughout the week. Together with Pyrrha, it was already becoming clear why they were chosen as the best. It just came down to the last member.

And, for some reason, Ruby felt a glimmer of hope that it might have been her. She didn't know why, but as Ozpin opened his mouth to say the final name, she felt the universe speak to her. Rationally speaking, she didn't belong; she had failed so many tests that the idea of her being in the best group was certainly impossible. Or was it? The tests were designed to play off expectations. Perhaps, she reasoned in the back of her mind, she was missing a crucial element. A special trait within her she may have overlooked. She was, after all, the youngest student in Beacon's history. She almost defeated Pyrrha in a game of wits. Could it be possible? Probable, likely not, but it had to be possible at the very least. Was her mind simply playing tricks on her, trying to numb her to the cruel reality of her failures, or was she seeing more clearly than ever before? She found herself withdrawing her breath, and her stomach turned over, and when Ozpin finally spoke the last name, she received her answer.

"Weiss Schnee."

With two simple syllables, Ruby's heart shattered.

Weiss Schnee had sat in the front corner of the room, and when her name was called, and the applause rang out for her, it was clear to all that she was not expecting it. Her hands instantly clasped over her mouth and nose, and she spun around in a daze, absorbing the moment with large, innocent eyes. She moved carefully, dreamlike, to the stage, her legs barely able to hold up her wobbling frame. It was only when she was in the spotlight, standing next to Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha, the three best and brightest in her class, did the truth finally seem to register, and she dropped her hands from her face. She had removed the rectangular bandage, allowing the full room to see her clearly as she was: with a large, open smile spread across her cheeks, not devious, or wicked, or vengeful, but pure and full of wonder and embarrassment. She was well and truly happy, maybe happier than she had ever been in her entire life, and Ruby felt sick.

In time, the applause died down, and Team One was directed off the stage towards specially assigned seats on the floor, where they would undoubtedly talk excitedly amongst themselves, get to know each other better, and openly discuss their bright future together. Together, their names and faces appeared upon the screen next to their number, a permanent declaration of their superiority. Ozpin wasted little time continuing to the next team, but it was hard for Ruby's attention to leave the Atlasian at the front of the room. When Ozpin announced the next team—a masculine alliance among Russell Thrush, Sky Lark, Cardin Winchester and Dove Bronzewing—she hardly noticed, and when they took their place on the stage, all she could think about was that single, striking blow back in the darkness of the classroom, and how much sympathy it must have garnered from the other teachers. Her restraint in fighting back proved that she was worthy to stand with the best, and Ruby could only imagine what would have happened if she hadn't let her own emotions get the best of her.

She did not have too long to wonder, however, as once the boys left the stage and Ozpin called announced the members of Team Three, she was forced back to reality. "Yang Xiao Long."

Ruby heard an excited gasp next to her, and looked over just in time to see Yang jump out of her seat, pumping her fist in the air. "Hell, yeah!" The crowd response was huge, more so than Ruby expected, and Yan couldn't help but get swept up in the moment, waving to her fans like she was royalty. Without so much as a goodbye, she jogged to the stage and practically leaped into the spotlight. Ruby was proud—Team Three was quite an accomplishment—but her stress only doubled. The time had finally arrived to see if her luck would hold out. She had told Ozpin directly that she wanted to be on her sister's team. She had done everything she could to make sure they stuck together. She had no idea if she was good enough to be on such a strong team with her performances, but she had to hope. It was all she had.

"Aqua Lilliota."

Ruby's heart beat faster in her chest. No worries. Two more names to go. They would call her next. They wouldn't separate family, no matter what. They wouldn't be that cruel. Would they?

"Tia Arancia."

It was time. It had to be time. Ozpin was going to pull through for her in the end. When she came to Beacon, Yang said she would look after her. They were in it together till the end. That was the promise they made each other. What would happen if they were split apart? Yang could move on without her. She could make friends. She could support herself, as she had been doing for years. Ruby couldn't manage that. She couldn't break out on her own. She needed help, and that help had to come from her sister, which was why they needed to be on the same team. They needed to. Please, they needed to be together.

"Blake Belladonna."

The raven-haired girl stood up, emotionless, and calmly walked to the stage to the sound of excited applause. Yang watched her gleefully, and when the girl finally took her place in the nearby spotlight, Yang leaned over and muttered something to her, drowned out by the thunderous noise of the auditorium. Their faces and names appeared on the screen next to each, inseparable for the next four years. She seemed pleased with the option, and as she stood there, she scanned the crowd as they rained down praise, until she came across the one girl in red staring at her with dead, silver eyes. And in that moment, Yang mouthed something true through her smile, a smile riddled with guilt and pain, but a smile nonetheless: _I'm sorry._

They left the stage like the others, and Ozpin announced Team Four. Ruby was not named.

Ozpin announced Team Five. Ruby was not named.

Ozpin announced Team Six. Ruby was not named.

Ozpin announced Team Seven. Ruby was not named.

Ozpin announced Team Eight. He spoke the first two names, and then paused. "Ruby Rose."

A smattering of applause. The heat of everyone's eyes locked onto her. Ruby pulled up her hood, and walked to the stage, each of her footsteps echoing like shotgun blasts. She entered the spotlight and forced a smile. The emptiness was plastered to her face for all to see. Ozpin never even bothered to look at her, not willing to grace her with his attention, as he called the last name. "Jaune Arc."

Ruby didn't even care anymore. She had wasted all of her tears earlier in the week, and she could spare none for her sister watching from the crowd, trying t muster up whatever sympathy she could, and none for Weiss, who snickered to herself, her vendetta complete. Her face appeared on the screen behind her, and she was too ashamed to look at it surrounded by those she barely knew and did not want to know.

She was finally on a team, and she was alone.


	12. Team Day - Part 2

It was hard to watch Ruby say goodbye. Yang's poor little sister stood forever outside of the dorm to her new room, arms forced at her sides as Yang tried to hold her. She couldn't count how many times she tried to tell her it would be okay. They would be in the same classes, and probably eat together at lunch, and definitely study for tests because Yang was certain she wouldn't make it alone in that department. She tried explaining to Ruby the same benefits she told Ozpin, but Ruby just stood there without saying a word. It wasn't like Yang couldn't totally understand. If she was placed on a team with Jaune Arc, she would be hurt, too.

Eventually, she knew she would have to let go. Ozpin was strict in his instructions. Classes were to start the next day at precisely noon and considering their early curfew, it meant that every student only had a few hours to take their belongings and move into their new dorms before dark. Yang was more than willing to help her sister set up her belongings and make the small space feel even slightly more like home, and she even tried her best to put on a bright smile and shake hands with all of Ruby's new teammates. They were polite, and that was probably the only memorable feature she could remember about them. Still, it was getting late, and she had to return to her own dorm to unpack her things. It took most of her willpower to push Ruby off, and lovingly thumb away the tears welling beneath her eyes.

"Hey, I gotta go," Yang said sadly. "Just remember what we talked about. You'll get to know them soon enough, and before you'll know it, you'll be busy studying and training and you'll forget about all of this nonsense. It's all going to get better tomorrow. I promise."

"I… I know," Ruby whispered.

"And for what it's worth," Yang added, "I know Mom would be really proud of you."

Ruby gently removed Yang's hands from her face, and looked away sharply. "I know."

There was nothing else to be said between them, and with a solemn nod Ruby rejoined her team in their dorm, and quietly shut the door behind her. Yang let out a long sigh of relief. That was painful, more painful than she wanted. But, it was over, and she was confident that it would all work out in the end. At least, she was mostly confident. In a few days, Ruby would see that it was worth it, and she would grow to love and care for her teammates like they were family, and she would not miss Yang at all.

" _You threw her under the bus."_

The voice inside her head was wrong, and Yang growled as she walked back to her room. Threw her under the bus? Ridiculous. Sure, she could have requested Ruby as a partner to Ozpin, but that wouldn't have given her any independence—or rather, given Ruby any independence. And that was what it was all about, right? Ruby's independence. Her journey to becoming her own person. It certainly wasn't out of Yang's own selfish desire to be free of her family. Besides, it wasn't as if her requesting Ruby would have done anything. Ruby asked for her, and they were separated anyway. And even if she _had_ asked, Ruby was on Team 8, and she was Team 3, so it wasn't like Ruby would have been good enough to be with her anyway.

That was a bad thought. Bad, bad thought. That voice was shoving bad thoughts in her head again, like that time it convinced her to shave her father's eyebrows while he was sleeping, or when it had her cheat on her chemistry midterm. It was trying to make her hate herself, to convince her she was a monster. She wasn't a monster, of course, she wasn't. She had to ignore it and focus on something else, like the completely stupid and terrible dorm layout which Beacon inexplicitly decided on. She assumed that when the first King of Vale—or whoever—decided to order the construction of Beacon, they assumed far more students would actually attend, leading to a gross overestimation of the building's necessary size. As a result, the current wing almost had as many rooms as students, leading to each team's room being separated out to an almost absurd degree. She had just left the grouping of Teams 8 through 10, and in order to get to her dorm, she had to make her way around the bend, up a flight of stairs, and past a student lounge, filled with comfy furniture and pool tables and all sorts of tempting, party-ready activities. Teams 2, 3 and 4 were grouped together as well, with her dorm stuck right in the middle. Her grouping had the benefit of solitude, but out of all the groups, it was also the furthest from the cafeteria, which meant Yang had to go through a workout just to get a decent meal. Still, it wasn't as ludicrous as the placement of Team 1: back the other way across the school, up two more flights of stairs, and located alone in the back of a vast hallway. And yet despite its distance, it was the most enviable of the dorms: besides being apart from the noise of the others, it was nearly double the size of her own dorm, and just before its entrance lied a grand balcony, through which one could see the infinite sprawl of the Emerald Forest down in the cliffs below. Yang couldn't really understand why they made the rooms so different from one another except as a motivating tool; students had to move to new dorms in the next semester, and performing well through the year would bring one that much closer to being figuratively—and literally—at the top.

Plus, it made use of the space, and gave off the impression that someone didn't massively fuck up when building the school. She supposed it was a win-win.

By the time the voice had been silence, Yang had returned home, and knocked loudly on the door. In seconds, she was greeted by a dark-haired girl, whose usual chipper and positive attitude hadn't changed since they became partners.

"Hey."

"S'up, guys. I'm back," Yang announced happily. Blake shrugged and left the door open, returning to her bed. Yang stepped into her room, taking it in. She had only stopped by briefly to meet her team and drop off her bags, but she hadn't really absorbed any of it. It was plain, but in an inviting way, begging her to add her own personal touches to the blank white walls, like fresh canvases thirsty for paint and color. The four beds had been divided evenly on the left and right walls, and there was enough room in the middle for her to perform her morning exercises. Two closets were on either side of her, and on the far side to her right sat a weapon rack, already loaded to its peak with blades, guns, and her signature gauntlets. The others already made themselves at home, lounging on their mattresses, leaving a single bed for her in the far right corner of the room. It wasn't perfect. She still had to unpack, and there were numerous arrangements that had to be attended to, primarily among them getting dressed in a single, co-ed room, but it wasn't bad. She could get quite used to it. It was even bigger than back home. Yang took a deep breath of the new dorm air, and smiled widely, striding through the room.

"Well, what did I miss?" Yang asked excitedly. "Anything fun happen while I was gone? Drinking? Dancing? A little of both?"

Aqua Lilliota, a small, stone-faced girl with streaks of blue in her hair, said nothing, responded with a simple shrug as she texted on her Scroll. Tia Arancia, an orange looking boy with a thick scar on his upper lip, ignored her entirely. Admittedly, they had hardly spent more than two minutes together, so it was natural that it would take some time for them to adjust to Yang's sense of humor. She had to be patient, though she made a mental note to get to know them as much as possible over the next several days. Still, there was one other in the room, and without warning, she hopped onto the edge of Blake's bed, while the girl sat cross-legged reading her book.

"What about you, Blake?" Yang asked. "Anything fun happen while I was gone?"

"Nope," Blake said simply. "I've just been reading."

"Is it a good book, at least?" asked Yang, straining her neck to see the text, but Blake yanked the book towards her chest.

"You wouldn't like it," she insisted.

Yang playfully rolled her eyes. "Come on, lighten up," she said, lowering her voice. "You're the one person I actually know on this team, and we're going to be together for four years, so you could at least _try_ to be friends with me."

"Like I told you when we first met, I'm not really in the mood to make friends," Blake stated.

"Yeah, but that was before we became roomies," Yang noted. "I mean, I get it. You've got the whole brooding mysterious thing going on, but we're going to have to work together to become Huntresses, and that means you and I are going to have to like each other."

"Not if I can help it," claimed Blake.

Yang smirked. "Don't worry, you'll fall for my charm eventually, Belladonna," she said knowingly. "And before long, who knows? You might even like spending time with me. Hell, I'll bet I can even make you smile at least once by the end of the week."

"Ten Lien and it's a bet."

"Deal."

"Wonderful," Blake said calmly, not taking her eyes off the page. No matter where she went, her eyes were always away from the person she was speaking too, usually right on the pages of that same novel. Either it was an incredibly engaging book, or she had truly mastered the art of ignoring people. "Any other bets you want to make?"

"No," Yang grinned widely, "but there are plenty of other bets I want to _Blake_."

Her face remained unchanged. No smile. Not even a little one. Yang groaned; it was going to be harder than she thought.

* * *

 _They sat together on the edge of the world, across one another. Yang hesitantly slid the bishop to the opposite side of the board. Her other watched and countered quickly. Another perfect move. No matter what she thought of, it was five steps ahead of her._

" _You ignored me earlier," it said mournfully. "How can you let me help you if you won't listen to me?"_

 _Yang said nothing. The smell of the ocean permeated the air, and in the distance, she could hear a gentle, rhythmic ticking, like a clock just about to strike the hour._

" _I'm getting closer, Yang," it stated neutrally. "Just call it off now while you still have your pride."_

 _Yang thought carefully, and then moved her queen to the side, striking out the other's rook. "Check."_

 _The other sighed, and with a flick of her wrist, eliminated the queen with her knight, knocking the piece from the table and sending it falling off the edge of nothing._

" _You think you're so much better at this than you actually are," it said. "Soon, you'll realize it. We'll realize it. Together."_

Yang's eyes shot open. It was that dream again. Not the same one, but close enough. She and that thing were always playing a game together, and every time, she would lose miserably. It had haunted her for years, and despite her expectations, she was only getting worse and worse at fighting it. Before she knew it, it would be able to defeat her in the blink of an eye.

Yang groggily grabbed her Scroll from the nearby desk, and checked the time. Just past one in the morning. She was truly surprised. Usually, she wouldn't even fall asleep until three, so maybe the expectations of becoming a Huntress finally came to her. It didn't matter. She was awake, and that meant it was going to take a while before she fell asleep again. She needed something to do. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she scanned the room, stumbling across each of her sleeping teammates, until her gaze came to rest on the bed next to her, where Blake slept on her side, silent, unmoving and sleeping directly on top of all of the blankets and sheets in her black and white robe.

"Hey, Blake, are you up?" Yang whispered tiredly. When Blake did not respond, Yang sat up on the side of her bed, and leaned forward. "Blake… Blaaaaaake, are you awake? Can you hear me?"

Blake did not so much as twitch. Yang rolled her eyes, and reached out to pat the girl on her shoulder. Was it rude waking up someone in the middle of the night the day before classes? Probably. But Blake seemed like a night person, and Yang needed someone to talk to.

"Blake Belladonna, wake up—"

And then, with a touch of her fingers, Blake turned to shadow, and disappeared.

Yang jumped back in her bed with a gasp. Her breath was caught in her throat, and whatever sleepiness was left was quickly stricken away. She looked around the room hurriedly, but there was no sign of her partner anywhere. Not under the bed. Not hiding in the closet. Nothing. She was completely gone. It was only upon further inspection that Yang realized that not only had Blake disappeared, but so too had her weapon, taken from the rack without detection. Yang's concern quickly turned to frustration, and then, to curiosity. Her partner had ditched them in the middle of the night.

Not cool.

Without bothering to get changed out of the tank top and shorts she called pajamas, Yang scampered to the weapon's rack and threw on her gauntlets, taking careful steps not to wake the others. Lastly, throwing on her boots over her bare feet, she stepped out into the hallway, carefully shutting the door behind her as she watched her surroundings for any patrolling faculty. When she was sure the coast was clear, she followed her gut, and went east.

* * *

Ruby couldn't sleep at all. How could she sleep? How could anyone sleep in that situation? It was all too much for one young mind to bear. The tests. The teams. The abandonment. The stress. The idea of her being prepared for the next day was out of the question. The only thing she could do reliably was lie under the covers and try to shut out the world around her.

It was easier said than done with three boys in the room. She had never been in close proximity to one boy before, and she suddenly expected to deal with the same problem tripled. It wasn't that she had anything against boys. She liked boys well enough. She could hypothetically find a boy she liked quite a bit. It was simply her unfamiliarity with their habits, their mannerisms, their interests, the precious data that she could analyze endlessly and find out everything useful there ever was to know. Yang knew about boys, but every time she thought of Yang, she just thought of how Yang was placed on Team 3, and how she was somewhat, maybe certain that Yang separated from her on purpose. It as that smile at the end of her team introduction, the way her eyes lit up when Blake was called to the stage instead of her, the way she tried so hard to spin the evening as a positive when it was slowly turning into a nightmare. A better part of her wanted to say that Yang had told her she asked Ozpin for them to team together, and that Yang would never lie to her about something so important. A far worse part of her told her that was exactly something Yang would do in a vain attempt to spare her feelings. It made all too much sense. Yang had always wanted to be free from burden, and what was more burdensome than dragging one's little sister around for their entire life? Was that all she was? A burden?

Ruby groaned and turned over in her sheets. She was wasting her time thinking about Yang. It wouldn't fix anything. Yet she couldn't stop. She couldn't help but picture that guilty smile, and repeat those false words of encouragement under her breath, and think about the weight of her actions on others, and hear Yang's voice from just outside the door to her room, growing louder and louder every second, followed by footsteps approaching her and then moving swiftly away.

Voice. Footsteps. Door. Ruby sprang up in bed and dashed to the door in a flurry of red, pressing her eye against the peephole. She could just catch the ends of her sister's blonde locks as she snuck by her room, and when Ruby cracked open the door and peered through the entrance, she could not just see that her sister looked fiercely determined, but that she also had her weapons equipped, ready for an imminent fight. What was she doing up past curfew, and what did she need her gauntlets for? Had she been attacked? Threatened? Vandalized? Yang did not even notice her as she continued down the corridor, and Ruby immediately realized that if something was wrong, Yang might have needed backup. The thought of breaking the school's rules wwasterrifying and illogical, but Ruby's problems had compounded until they blocked all rationality from her mind, until she was driven by pure instinct, an instinct which told her that her sister needed help. Ruby quickly checked on her teammates, who all slept comfortably in their beds, blissfully unaware of the apparent threat. She groaned, rushing back to her bed to tuck her feet into her slippers.

What in the world had Yang gotten herself into?

* * *

Blake moved swiftly. It was a necessity to be fast, and to remain silent. She glided across the floor, checking her surroundings carefully, always keeping one hand on the hilt of the blade strapped to her back. Beacon was still at night, and she was welcomed into the dark shadows lining the lengthy corridors.

She wondered if she was moving too soon. She had only just been selected for a team, and the school would have likely opened up as the schoolyear progressed. Yet, she was well aware that as time passed, the risks drew greater. She had to get it over with. Quick and clean. That was the way to do it.

Blake reached the highest point of the stairs, and saw her target: a terrace expanding out to the horizon by her left. She rushed to it and stepped into the cold night air, a shiver taking over her. Her robe was too short to adequately shield her legs from the wind, but she could not have afforded to wake up her team members. Besides, if she was quick enough, the wind would not be a problem. She looked up towards the castle, examining the walls carefully. The central tower was not far, and neither were the first year classrooms. The walls were heavy stone, more than sturdy enough to hold her weight. If she found a crevasse, she could sink her weapon into the structure and carry herself upwards. But she needed to find the right spot; one wrong move would send her plummeting not the Emerald—

"Whatcha doing, Blake?"

Blake jumped, startled, and unsheathed her sword. She spun around like lightning, bringing the blade inches away from the snarky, violet-eyed face that approached her.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down," Yang said, taking a step back. "No need to freak out on me."

Blake's muscles tensed, and her eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here, Yang?"

"What does it look like? I followed you," Yang explained, pursing her lips. "Neat Semblance, by the way. I thought it was the real thing until it turned into a puff of smoke right in front of me."

"You should go back to sleep," Blake insisted, but Yang simply placed her hands on her hips and shook her head.

"You mean like how _you're_ supposed to be asleep? Not happening. It's freezing cold, I'm a night person, and I'm not letting you wonder around the school past curfew so you can get us both in trouble."

"Why do you have your weapons with you?" Blake asked, concerned.

"I saw you took your weapon, so I took mine. Why do you have your weapon?"

"None of your business," Blake said through gritted teeth.

"It is now," Yang insisted. "We are a team, which means we have to work together from now on. No secrets."

"Yang, no offense, but I _really_ do not give a shit about this whole team thing," Blake groaned. "You are being a distraction right now, and I need you to leave before—"

"Yang! Wait!"

The pair jumped, startled, and turned their attention don the corridor, transforming their weapons into their ranged form and aiming them down the hallway. Almost as soon as Yang cocked her gauntlets, however, did she notice the meek voice came from her own flesh and blood, wearing her cat pajamas and woolen slippers, and carrying her massive scythe over her shoulder. Yang dropped her guard as Ruby ran over to the balcony to join them.

"Ruby, what are you doing here?" Yang asked.

"Are you guys okay? What's going on?" Ruby said worriedly.

"We're fine, but seriously, why are you here?" she repeated.

"I saw you pass by my dorm on the way here, and I thought something might have been wrong, so I decided to come help."

"Ruby, why weren't you sleeping?"

"Come on, Yang, I couldn't," Ruby confessed. "How was I supposed to sleep with everything that happened today?"

"Fine, okay, whatever," Yang said dismissively, "but why do you have Crescent Rose with you?"

"Well, when I saw you running down the hallway, I saw that you had your weapons with you, so I brought my scythe. I thought you might be in trouble. Is that why you brought Ember Cecilia with you?"

"What? No," Yang explained, pointing at Blake, who had yet to ease up her grip. "I only brought my weapon because Blake brought her weapon."

"Well, why did Blake bring her weapon?"

"It's none of your business why I brought my weapon," Blake growled. "Both of you need to go back to your dorms. If they catch us all sneaking around at night, they'll expel us."

"And whose fault is that?" Yang sneered.

"Um, is everything all right with you two?" Ruby asked nervously.

"Why don't you ask Miss Darkness and Depression?" mocked Yang. "Oh, wait, that's right—she won't tell you anything!"

"You know, you were a lot nicer a few hours ago," Blake scolded.

"A few hours ago, you weren't sneaking out in secret and telling me that you don't give a shit about me," Yang explained.

Blake rolled her eyes. "Look, can we please just talk about this in the morning?"

"Why? It's not like you'd tell me anything then either."

"Okay, both you need to quiet down," Ruby pressed them. "I get that there's some issues here, but its only the first week of school, and the last thing we need is any more problems coming up—"

"What the hell are you doing?"

The three jumped, startled, and turned towards the other end of the corridor, instinctively aiming their weapons at their new target. She wasn't far; a pale girl in a long, grey nightgown stood before them, white hair flowing past her shoulders, eyes burning with anger, a long rapier in her grasp, its sharp tipped shoved into their faces. Unlike the others, she had no intention of remaining quiet.

"You three—what are you doing outside my dorm?" Weiss asked furiously.

"Y-your room?" Ruby stammered. The heiress was right; just behind her at the end of the corridor was the dorm of Team 1, left slightly ajar. Weiss was paying it no attention, simply taking out her frustration on the students in front of her.

"Yes, _my_ room," Weiss stated. "Why are you standing out here talking? You're not supposed to be anywhere near here at this hour."

"Hey, speak for yourself," Yang said defensively. "What are you doing up? Shouldn't you be getting your beauty sleep or something?"

"I can't sleep," said Weiss. "Nora won't stop snoring. It sounds like someone is strangling a cow. Ren is probably used to it, but I don't know how in the world Pyrrha is managing to sleep through that. But, that's not answering my question. What are you _doing_ here? And why do you have your weapons?"

"I… I…" Ruby began, but the words escaped her. Weiss wouldn't take her eyes off her, and Ruby felt it becoming increasingly difficult to do anything except collapse.

"Ruby took her weapon because she saw me taking my weapon and followed me," Yang said, quickly stepping in.

"Why do you have your weapons?"

"I was following Blake, and she had _her_ weapons."

"Well, why do you have your weapons?" Weiss asked Blake.

"It's none of your damn business," Blake repeated once again. "And why did you bring your weapon?"

"Because I'm about to _murder_ someone," Weiss declared, thrusting her weapon even closer. "You three have no right to just be loitering around here arguing with each other, disturbing other students like that. And of course, it had to be _you_ ," Weiss added distastefully, gesturing towards Ruby, "because it's not enough for you to almost break my nose and slander my parents. No, you have to keep bothering me, don't you? You can't just leave me alone."

"Hey, guys," Blake said suddenly, but Yang cut her off, stepping between Weiss and her sister.

"Hey, watch it, girl," she said, leaning over the Atlasian. "I'm really not in a good mood tonight, so stop insulting my sister."

"Wow, so now Ruby sends in her big sis to do the fighting for her," Weiss said disapprovingly. "What a true Huntress. I bet you must be so proud of her, ending up at the bottom of the barrel."

"Guys, be quiet," Blake said with increasing passion, but Yang cocked her head, and clenched her fist.

"I know what you said about our mom, Schnee," Yang hissed. "The only reason I haven't shattered your jaw is because I don't want to have to embarrass you any more after that horrible first test performance."

"Right, and how did that all turn out in the end?" Weiss asked smugly. "Oh, that's right. I'm on the best team in the school, and you're not. So, honestly, I would _love_ to watch you try to hit me, and then I would love to watch your walk of shame as they fly you back to whatever shithole town you came from."

"It might be worth it."

"Guys, seriously, shut up for a second," Blake pleaded.

"Blake, we get it, we're drawing attention to ourselves," Yang snapped. "You don't have to keep reminding us."

"Not that!" Blake said, frustrated. It was only then did the others notice the complete change in her demeanor, the fact that she sheathed her weapon, the confused and somewhat scared look in her eye, and the sudden desperation plastered on her face. "Does anyone else hear that?" The four went silent as Blake pointed to the edge of the terrace, out towards the open forest below. They all strained their hearing, listening to the rustling of the wind, the gentle movement of their clothes in the breeze, and the other white noises which inhabited the night sky, existing without a source. They stood together, in silence, waiting.

And then, they heard a scream. Distant, below, but without their own voices to drown it, clear. It was high and broken, piercing cleanly through the air to hit them, and it vibrated through their bodies and struck them deeply. It's coarseness was alien, belonging to no creature or object that they could think of, and still, in its underbelly, beneath the high register where the brunt of its sounds was felt, it seemed vaguely human. In a matter of seconds, it became abundantly clear to all of them that someone was down there in the Emerald Forest—and they were _close_.

Yang acted first, and perhaps the others shouldn't have been surprised. She was never one to hesitate from what seemed to be the simplest of choices, and to her mind, the scream was one of pain and begging. Her options were clear, and she moved with swift determination, running towards the edge of the balcony and, in nothing more than her flimsy excuse for sleeping clothes, jumped over the side and fell.

Blake and Ruby called out her name, then exchanged worried glances. For a split second, they thought Yang had lost her mind. That she lost control to her impulses. However, their thoughts were in sync. She was Ruby's sister and Blake's teammate. They couldn't let her go alone. After a few seconds, they looked back towards the edge of the balcony, grabbed their weapons, and leapt over the railing after her.

"Hey, where are you going?" Weiss yelled out with concern as they disappeared down the cliff below. She looked back towards the corridor, sweat running down her brow even in the cool air. Had they lost their collective minds? The professors wouldn't allow them to go to the Emerald Forest. Other students had gone missing in the Emerald Forest. Those three were going to be in so much trouble when they got back— _if_ they got back. They were crazy. Stupid. Dangerous. They were going to get themselves _killed_.

Weiss looked down at her sword, and briefly touched the pendants around her neck. She groaned in frustration, and muttered angrily to herself.

"You've got be fucking kidding me."

With a deep breath, Weiss jumped off the terrace, and descended into the forest.


	13. Team Day - Part 3

**Note: Enjoy.**

* * *

They sprinted through the shadows, passing behind the tall trunks of trees and over twisting bramble in their mad race. Ruby stepped through the dirt in her pink slippers, but hardly noticed the rough sensation on her feet, simply trying to stay focused on the blonde, tangled mess of hair far out in front of her as it weaved in and out of sight. She could hear Blake above her, carving her own path through the trees, and far behind, she heard Weiss panting as she ran atop a path of glyphs, protecting her bare feet from the infested earth. They all traveled by the moonlight, their fading memories of the horrid scream their only guide, deeper and deeper into the growth.

Yang came to a stop behind the belly of a tree, and Ruby sped behind her, the flash of her Semblance briefly illuminating the forest. Her sister looked around, her hands shaking.

"Hey, slow down. We need to stick together," Ruby instructed, but Yang was lost in the moment.

"It had to come from somewhere around here," she said hurriedly.

"We have to be careful," Ruby reminded her. "The last thing we need is to get lost."

Blake leaped into sight, landing atop a thick branch, leaning against the trunk for support. "I think it was that way." She pointed east, and with a new lead, Yang took off running again before Ruby could get in another word. Blake pursued, while Ruby tightened her grip on her weapon. She heard a rustle from behind, and soon the sound of Weiss's pained breathing hit her ears.

"Wait up!" she cried, coming to a stop behind Ruby and doubling over, clutching her chest with her empty hand. "You guys… are really… fast…"

"We have to keep moving," Ruby said worriedly.

"Ruby… you know this is a bad idea, right?" Weiss said fearfully. "Like, this is a really, _really_ bad idea."

For once, Ruby felt like they were on the same page. Even putting aside the fact they were still in their sleepwear, they were in a place no one had come back from for several weeks, and their only clues were the faintest echoes. Nobody in the school knew where they were, so backup was out of the question. If something were to happen…

"We can't think about that now," Ruby grunted, trying her best to sound confident. "Just focus on staying together. Come on."

Ruby took off running, and she heard a loud groan behind her before Weiss started up after her. She kept her scythe slung over her shoulder, her fingers digging into the metal grip. As she descended deeper into the green, the brush grew thick, and the already flimsy light soon faded entirely. Still, she kept running, led only by the distant footsteps of her sister up ahead. She felt the pathway narrow as the branches extended to greet the exposed skin on her arms, and at some point, her eyes shut themselves, no more useless than in the supreme darkness. Soon there was only the sound, of the footsteps, of the voices of her friends, of her own heartbeat, pounding faster than it ever had before. The hard matter closed in tighter around her, squeezing her further and further, and then suddenly, and its tightest point, it released, and she stumbled into the open.

The clearing could hardly be called as such, but in the enclosed system, it was as wide and clear as a great plain. The moonlight filtered through the wide spaces between the overhanging trees, and in the small space, Yang and Blake stood side-by-side. They stared blankly ahead, unmoving, and as Ruby's eyes fully adjusted, she could see the rocky cave standing before them, its mouth stretching into infinity. They were in shock or awe, and Ruby moved quickly to be beside them, desperate to avoid another separation.

A few moments later, Weiss emerged into the clearing, shuddering and shivering, barely able to stand. "Oh, thank goodness, I found you," she sighed.

"This is the place," Blake said surely.

"What? What do you mean?" asked Weiss.

"That scream. It was from here," Blake insisted.

"Are you sure? How do you know?" Ruby questioned.

"I just do. Whatever we heard came from inside there."

"Guys, I don't think I need to say this, but we _really_ shouldn't be here right now," Weiss pleaded. "Let's go back to the school and get the professors to handle this."

"Hold on," Yang said, taking a step towards the cave. "Someone could need our help. We can't leave until we figure out what's going on."

"As much as I hate to agree, she's right," Blake noted. "We're here now. We might as well do something."

"You have no idea where that cave leads. It' suicide," Weiss claimed not inaccurately, much to their concern. "Ruby, please tell me you're not thinking of going in there?"

Ruby examined her weapon—the very weapon she designed and constructed from the ground up—and took a deep breath. She tried to relax her grip, and her voice became still.

"Yang's right," Ruby said sternly. "Huntresses don't abandon people in trouble. We have to go in."

"We're not Huntresses yet," Weiss reminded them through quivering lips. "We're just students."

"Then you can stay out here if you want," Blake stated. Weiss fervently shook her head.

"By myself? No way. Here." Weiss cycled through the barrel on her rapier and gave the weapon a flick. A glyph suddenly materialized on the ground, and a fireball miraculously appeared, hovering several feet above it. Its orange warmth was the only comfort they had, and it trembled gently in the air along with its master. She muttered under her breath. "This is a stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid idea."

Together, the first-years entered the cave, moving as one. The fireball took the lead, with Yang following close behind. Weiss stayed towards the back, and Ruby huddled behind her sister's shoulders, her eyes locked on the little ball of fire guiding their path. The cave smelled of damp rock and the husk of char, and something else foreign, distasteful, rotten. The only sounds still unconsumed by its walls was the crackling of the flame, and the fireball glided close to the wall, feeling out its surroundings and prodding them with its light. Blake kept her weapon in front of her face, her eyes scanning the environment over its reach, more focused than ever. They moved deeper into the cave: ten feet, twenty feet, and then forty, and it seemed to stretch on for even longer. As they fell inwards, the foreign odor became more pungent, eventually taking over the others and overriding their senses.

"How much farther does this thing go?" Weiss whispered, pinching her nose in disgust.

"No clue," Yang admitted, and yet she pressed on. The group continued deeper, undeterred, until Blake, without warning, came to a full stop, her eyes transfixed on something in the darkness.

"Weiss, over there," she said quickly, her eyes wide. The group's attention shifted, and the fireball slowly approached the left wall, until a shape came into view. It was, as the light revealed, what seemed to be a man, dark hair, mid-twenties, asleep against the wall, his arms dangling freely by his side. He hung to the side of the wall, suspended above the ground, his legs and torso contained in a thick, black substance that pooled on the ground surrounding him, and omitted the foul, peculiar smell when the drew near.

"What the hell happened to this guy?" Yang asked, walking up to the body to take a closer look. Blake followed behind, while the other stayed cautiously away.

"I'm not sure," said Blake. "Did something… put him here?"

"What's that stuff he's covered in?" Ruby asked, turning away from the stench. "Is it like some sort of webbing? Like from a spider?"

"It's no webbing I've ever seen," Blake stated, carefully taking her sword and dipping its tip into the puddle. She pulled it away and watched the material cling to its surface like glue, shimmering in the firelight.

"Hey, buddy, you all right?" Yang asked, snapping her fingers in front of the man's face. He did not answer.

"Oh, gods, that smell," Weiss moaned, resisting the urge to gag. Yang tapped Blake on the shoulder, and motioned to the body.

"Hey, let's see if we can get him down from here," she suggested. Ruby, standing clear of the attempt, tried to rummage through her memory, looking for any plant or wildlife capable of producing such a substance. No matter how hard she searched, however, she could not find any answers. It was a true unknown. Yang reached towards the man and grabbed his shoulders, giving him a light tug as a test. Without any further force, the body slumped over and began to slide, suddenly overcome by the force of gravity. It leaned forward as the black substance gave way, and then snapped all at once. The upper body hit the ground hard—and without anything to support them, its innards spilled out from the missing lower half, landing on the ground by their feet.

Yang and Blake jumped back suddenly, stumbling away from the viscera. Weiss screamed in terror, clasping her hand over her mouth in shock. Ruby, stunned for a moment, took the visual at once in its entirety, and then turned away and collapsed against the opposite wall of the cave.

"Holy shit!" Yang yelled, startled. The original odor disappeared, replaced swiftly with the smell of flesh and decay. It was overpowering, and her heroic posturing was shattered.

"He's dead! He's dead, he's dead, he's _dead_!" Weiss shouted, every word becoming more and more flustered.

"Weiss, try to calm down," Blake said desperately, trying to maintain her composure.

"Calm down? Are you fucking blind?" Weiss screamed on the verge of tears. "We need to get out of here _now_!"

"We can't leave yet. Not when there could be someone else trapped here. Right, Yang?"

"Y-yeah," Yang stammered. "R-right…"

"Get a grip, yang. Now is not the time to panic," Blake said rationally. "Ruby, you still with me? Ruby? _Ruby_?"

Ruby was lost in the sea of her own mind. The blood. There was too much of it. Too much of it for one person to hold inside of them, and yet it was all out before her. Those remains used to be someone, someone born into the world from loving parents, someone who had hopes and goals, someone who used to think, and feel, and touch, and live, and yet they were before her lifeless, empty, their secrets spilled out to her in guttural lettering. Something had taken them—a human being—and rendered them less than, destroyed their humanity, tore them apart until they were not a person, but meat, feed for the insects which dwelled in the holes in the walls. They had been turned inside out, like her mom. The color was even the same.

"Ruby, snap out of it!" Blake shouted fiercely, grabbing Ruby by the shoulders and shaking her until her eyes no longer glazed over. "If we are getting out of here, you need to be on your game. You're a Huntress, remember? Act like one."

A Huntress? That was right, wasn't it? People were relying on her. She couldn't let them down.

"I'm… I'm sorry. I'm with you," Ruby said, forcing her way back to reality.

"Yang, you good?" Blake asked. Yang nodded, taking very deep breaths, trying to avoid looking at the human remains on the floor next to her boots.

"I think so."

"Weiss, let's go," Blake said, grabbing the heiress by the hand. She couldn't stop hyperventilating, and her ice cold skin was covered with goosebumps, but she was the only source of light they had, so she needed to continue, whether she wanted to or not. Blake dragged her close, and with steeled determination, pressed onwards into the cave, the sisters keeping a few steps behind.

The bloodstained scent only worsened as they traveled, and it wasn't long before more bodies appeared. Discarded pieces of flesh covered the floor, and the walls were slathered in the black ooze, dripping and merging with the blood. Ruby kept her eyes at her own feet, unable to withstand any more of the damaging imagery, while Blake tried her best to rationalize it, process it in a way that would temper the impact of the gore on her mind.

"This… this thing must have been down here for months," she stated. "There's no way it could have gathered all these people at once."

"But then shouldn't these people have, I don't know, turned to skeletons by now?" Yang said ineloquently.

"I think that stuff they're covered in has been preserving them," Blake theorized. "That way it can keep them fresh when it… you know…"

"It eats them," Weiss said, horrified. "Oh, gods, we're going to end up like them, aren't we?"

"Don't talk like that," said Yang, but Weiss's words raced faster than her mind.

"These people were actual soldiers, right? If they couldn't handle this, how are we supposed to—"

Suddenly, a shape materialized in front of them, and Weiss shrieked, stumbling backward on her heels. The group, wandering in the dark, had somehow, unwillingly, reached the end of the cave, and Weiss had been startled by the fireball brushing against the back wall, and the mass of people suspended from it. In time, the suspense dwindled, and the makeshift team saw three bodies almost completely engulfed in the dark liquid. They were young, around their age, two tall boys and a girl with short, lopsided brown hair. At first, Ruby thought nothing of them—more bodies in a sea of the dead. But then, she noticed the button on the girl's jacket, sticking just above the black matter, its message clearly visible in the dim light: _Guns, Glory, and Air Guitars._

"Hey, guys… isn't this Team CFVY?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"The missing students?" checked Yang. They had never seen their faces, but that button stuck out in Ruby's memory. Velvet had worn that very same button when they first moved in. She said it was their team motto, the purest representation of their rebellious spirit. It was the first thing she noticed; the second thing she noticed as that the girl appeared to be breathing.

"I… I think they're alive," Ruby said with disbelief.

"Alive? Ruby, they've been missing for weeks," Blake reminded her. Ruby, undeterred, pressed her fingers against the girl's neck, searching for a heartbeat. Soon, she found it, faint and weak, but certainly there, and the sudden hope that washed over her, regardless of however slim it was, dulled her to the carnage around her, and spurred her on.

"We have to get them out of here," Ruby demanded, pulling on the girl's shoulder. The matter gave way with the slightest pressure, and Ruby had to move quickly to catch the unconscious girl before she fell onto the hard stone beneath them. "Yang, help me."

Yang, never one to back down, quickly pulled one of the boys, while Blake assisted the other. Weiss turned around, watching the shadows behind the with wild eyes.

"Hurry up," she begged. The three students were freed in moments, but as Yang pulled on one's arm, they very quickly realized another problem. They were dead weight, impossible to carry.

"Weiss, can your glyphs create platforms to carry CFVY out of here?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, but—"

"Then do it."

"But I can only keep one type of glyph going at a time," Weiss explained. "If I carry them, we lose our light."

"Shit, we can't carry them on our own," Blake stated. "Unless we go one at a time."

"Or we make a run for it," Ruby suddenly suggested, looking back towards the reaching void. "Weiss, can you launch that fireball?"

"You're not suggesting—"

"We run for it," Ruby stated. "We only walked straight coming through here, so it's not like we could get lost in here. If you throw the fire back towards the entrance, we can use it to guide our path out here and carry them all to safety."

"There's no way we'd be able to keep up," Weiss exclaimed. "We'd be in the darkness within seconds."

"Do you have any better ideas?" Ruby asked around to a silenced crowd. It was an option that none of them wanted, stranded in the dark with something unnatural lurking nearby, but it was the fastest and easiest option, and the moment, in the dead of night, the smell of fresh corpses filling their minds, it was bliss compared to the alternatives. Weiss sighed, and placed her finger on the trigger just beneath the hilt of her sword. Her time was short, so she had to be precise. The group readied themselves and turned away from the back wall, lining themselves up as best as possible.

"Okay, be ready to sprint on my count," Weiss said, moving the fireball directly out in front of her, its warmth providing her only comfort. She briefly looked at the three helpless students on the ground, desperate for her assistance, and took a series of short, deep breaths. "Three. Two. One. _Go!_ "

Weiss launched the fireball out in front of her at high speeds, and immediately plunged her sword into the ground, its chamber spinning violently until it landed on the proper breed of Dust. Three dark glyphs emerged from under the students, and without any further hesitation, they ran. The fire moved fast, but Ruby was too, and she quickly took the lead of the back, her breaths hollow as she pushed with everything she had to keep up with the flame. In its receding light she could see the bodies next to her, still ripe and spewing fluid, but she ignored them. She had to ignore them. She heard the pants of the others behind her but she never looked back. She had to stay focused on the light, even as it became smaller and smaller, fading from view, until it finally disappeared altogether, separated for too long from its master, leaving her stranded in the black. The ambient noises that she had ignored all her life suddenly seemed like sirens blazing in her ears, signaling danger all around her. She shadows within the shadows, and resisted the urge to swing her scythe at the stone walls, even as a creature might have lurked there. The sprint felt like an eternity. How deep had they traveled into the cave? How far had they descended into the earth, into the heart of the world, into its belly, so that they were maddingly trying to crawl out and speeds faster than they could run? She herself could have escaped at any moment. She could have turned on her Semblance and emerged into the open air in seconds, but the fear of losing the others in the cave kept her close. So, she sprinted with closed eyes. As fast as she could.

In the distance, she saw it: moonlight. With a few more steps, she burst into the free world, and the cold wind instantly overtook her. She couldn't catch herself as she tripped and fell midway through the clearing, the feeling of the grass bruising her skin the most enthralling sensation she felt all night. Her weapon flew from her grasp, landing a few feet away from her in the dirt, but she hardly noticed. Within seconds, the other came bolting out as well: Weiss, screaming in fear with the students behind her, followed by Blake, who headed straight for the tree line to her left and leaned against to catch her breath, and finally Yang, who stopped just inside the cave, wiping the sweat from her brow. Weiss gently lowered the students towards the opposite end of the clearing, and fell to her knees, exhausted.

"Gods… we made it… we actually made it," she breathed heavily. Ruby carefully sat up in the dirt, pained, but relieved. They weren't out of the forest yet, but for all she cared, they might as well have been. They still needed to get back to the school and get CFVY to the nurses, but for the moment, they could rest. The stench was gone. The worst was over.

"So," Yang said tiredly, somehow managing to crack a smile, "who wants to go again?"

"Really… really not funny, Yang," Blake scolded her effortlessly, recovering against the sturdy trunk of the nearest tree, its coarse exterior like the smoothest pillow.

"Yeah, yeah. I still blame you for this by the way," Yang stated half-jokingly.

"Rest now, blame later," Ruby moaned. Yang's positivity reached through the air, and Ruby too found herself somehow smiling with her. Her sister lovingly rolled her eyes, and they shared the moment. Two sisters, forced apart by their school, managing to find their way back together again. Even if Yang wanted them to go on their own paths, they couldn't resist each other's pull, even in the most trying and strange of circumstances. It was comforting, and in the darkened forest, it was enough for Ruby to feel at ease.

Then, a dark mass appeared in the entrance of the cave, and Ruby's eyes went wide with terror.

"Yang, behind you!"

Her sister didn't have time to react before it struck her, sending her flying from the entrance of the cave across the clearing, spiraling uncontrollably through the air until she came to a brutal, forced stop against the brunt of a tree. The dark mass suddenly charged at her, and Ruby scrambled backward, barely pulling her feet out of the way before a gargantuan limb smashed into the ground. She let out a bloodcurdling scream, and dashed to her left, hurrying to her feet and reaching for her weapon as the mass launched itself for another attack, faster than she could react. Her fingers grazed the handle of the scythe when she felt something sharp cut through her calf, tearing straight through her pajamas and ripping the flesh in her calf. Ruby cried out in pain, tumbling back to the ground, and she stared up at her attacker as it stood in the center of the clearing, exposed in the moonlight.

The creature was a leviathan, gigantic in proportions as it towered over her meek frame. It stood on all fours, its hulking shoulders and thick, stumpy legs forcing it to lean over, unbalanced as if it had been designed from a flawed blueprint. Its fur was heavy and black, absorbing the moonlight so thoroughly as to almost become engulfed in shadow. Its head, small and angled, was consumed fully by its mouth, filled with teeth yellow and broken and dripping with black fluid, and its face was sheltered by thick, white bone plating, through which two bloody eyes stared directly at her, glowing vibrantly through the darkness. The creature reared back, and with its mouth unhinged and open wide, released its yell: a vicious, broken cry, hitting every violent frequency and tearing through the air, its noise a deep perversion of a human scream. Ruby clutched her ears, but the sound penetrated still, and she could no longer feel her legs except for the strange impression of her own life flowing freely from her body. The nightmarish thing—not animal, for it was without question unalive—returned its gaze to its vulnerable target, and snarled.

"What the fuck is that thing?" Weiss screamed in panic. Blake shuddered, not daring to move, unable to comprehend the beast no more than ten feet in front of her. Yang groaned, struggling to return to her feet, a dull sensation traveling up her spine. The monster suddenly looked around and the girls, and released a guttural yell, readying itself for the feast.

It went for Weiss first, sprinting on all fours towards the shocked heiress, too terrified to move. Her legs acted on their own when their owner refused, rolling her out of the way as it swiped at her head, its claws slashing through a tree behind her, sending large chunks of wood flying into the forest. Weiss danced backward, searching for the balance she desperately needed. She urgently found her footing and lunged her sword forward into the creature's side. The blade pierced through the skin on its side but hilted only a few inches into its muscle, and the monster responded to the petty attack with a vicious side swipe to her chest, knocking the air out of her lungs. It stood over its prey, and Ruby tried to rush towards it, but could not even take a step before falling to her knees, the pain in her leg too much for her to bear. The creature pulled back its claw for a direct strike to its chest, but the sound of gunfire filled the air as bullets ricocheted off its skin. The monster snarled at the girl in black towards the trees, who emptied the full clip of her gun into its hide to no avail.

"Over here, you son of a bitch!" she called to it, and it responded with a powerful leap in her direction, opening its mouth to accept her. Its teeth plunged into her head, only for her to disappear in a puff of smoke and emerge suddenly swiping at its legs with her blade. It kicked at her, but she reappeared on its other side, slashing and screaming at the thing to succumb. It lashed out a third time, but before she could strike, it turned around suddenly and grabbed her with its claws, squeezing her tightly. Blake gasped, feeling her ribs being crushed within her chest, as the world began to fade.

Yang, with glowing hair and furious red eyes, refused to let her fight end, sprinting forward and delivering a spinning right hook to its hind leg, knocking it off balance and forcing it to drop its captive. It dropped to its back, and before its could rise, Yang unloaded on its exposed stomach, striking it as fast and as hard as she could, unloading shotgun blasts directly into its flesh with each blow. Ten strikes. Twenty. She lost count as she yelled angrily, unleashing everything she could. She stepped back to gain leverage and launched towards it, throwing all her weight into one punch, but she was slow, and the monster recovered, throwing its bone-covered head into her torso and knocking her to the ground. She hit her wounded back with a thud, but before the air could escape her, the thing lashed out its jaws, and she threw up a single arm in defense, allowing the creature to bite down ferociously on her gauntlet. It snapped and snarled, black fluid dripping over her neck and shoulders as she recoiled away from it, trying to find some means of escape. She felt its teeth tearing through the metal over her arm, and the pressure was so intense she was sure it was about to snap in two at any second. With the last of her energy, she threw hammer fists into the side of its head with her free hand, trying in vain to force it to let go.

"Leave my sister alone!" Ruby screamed. She had to act quickly. Thinking wildly, she pulled the trigger on the underside of her scythe, and the weapon transformed into its ranged form, which she started unloading haphazardly into the creature's flesh. The wounds weren't enough to hurt it, not from that range, but she had to distract it. It worked, miraculously, but all she truly succeeded in doing was drawing the creature back towards her. It released Yang and unleashed its inhuman cry as it rushed towards her.

Yang, however, acted faster. Thinking outside her comfort zone, she grabbed onto the beast's hind leg as it passed and pulled hard, tripping it for no more than a few seconds. It was enough for Blake to regain her focus, and with a damaged throw, she sunk her grappling hook into the creature's shoulder and yanked, pulling it backward. Ruby had her opening. Swallowing her agony, she ran at the beast, and jumped into the air in a burst of red, ascending towards the broken moon. The creature looked up at her, but a blast of fire from the far right kept it busy. Weiss leaned against the tree for support, holding her rapier loosely in her hands, barely hanging on to reality. The creature was pulled in every which way, and though it would break out in seconds and slaughter them all, it gave Ruby enough time to break her Semblance, and use all of her power to launch downward at its head. With a final scream, she landed on top its head, her bloody leg planting squarely into the back of its neck, the barrel of her sniper rifle pressed against the opening in the creature's exposed skull.

She fired, and the bone exploded. The monster reared back in pain, sending Ruby tumbling back to the ground. The other girls rushed to her side, hurriedly getting out of the thing's way as it stumbled back towards the trees. Its paws brushed at its scarred face, red liquid spraying from its shattered eye, and it yelled in fury, swatting furiously at the air while the girls screamed and retreated. The monster sputtered, still breathing, still hungry, but defeated, and it turned and sprinted into the forest, crashing through trees as it carved its path into the undergrowth.

Ruby threw back her head, unable to think or focus. She instinctively grabbed her leg and rubbed the wound through her torn cat pajamas, her fingers rummaging through dirt and blood. Blake hugged her chest, while Weiss leaned against Yang for support, help that the older girl could barely provide. They were tired, broken, and terrified beyond comprehension. What did the hell did they just go up against? Where did it come from? How long had it been down there in that cave, feasting on humanity? They had no answers. They just sat there, in the moonlight. Four trying to breathe as one.

They remained there for minutes, unmoving, stunned, traumatized until a noise from above knocked them out of their stupor. It wasn't a scream, but a motor, and suddenly from the breaks in the hanging trees, a searchlight shone through, nearly blinding them. A Beacon airship. Ruby felt nothing as she heard it draw closer. She figured that the sound of their battle must have reached the guards patrolling the halls at school, or perhaps their other teammates realized they disappeared. On one hand, they had been saved from the forest. On the other, they had broken curfew, and their transgressions would not go unpunished. All of those possibilities seemed like a distant dream to her. All she could think of was the sound of her own heart beating in her ears, the dark tranquility of the Emerald Forest, and the things that monster that dwelled within.


	14. Team Day - Part 4

"You have no idea how much trouble you four are in," Goodwitch said bitterly. She paced back and forth behind Ozpin's desk, while the Headmaster said calmly in his seat and drank his tea. Even at three in the morning, he didn't look particularly tired, whereas Goodwitch could hardly rub out the bags from under her eyes. Ruby sat across from them, the others lined up next to her, and all she could feel was a sense of déjà vu. The only real differences she could see from when her father was yelling at her was a deeper sensation of dread, and the lingering pain in her damaged leg. The staff had immediately taken them to the medical offices upon their retrieval from the Emerald Forest, and whatever miracle gel they applied to her wound seemed to be doing the trick. It still hurt quite a lot, and the bandages itched incessantly. Then again, it was hardly something to complain about when she recalled poor Velvet's reaction upon seeing her teammates, breaking down crying and hugging the unconscious yet breathing bodies of the rest of her team. The scars were the reminders of the lives they saved, though, under the scrutiny of Professor Goodwitch, it was difficult for anyone outside the room to tell.

"I honestly can't believe any of you would do something so stupid and reckless," Goodwitch continued. "You all had such promise, and the fact that you would endanger your lives like that is beyond me."

"It was my fault, Professor," Yang said sincerely. "I'm the one who went into the forest first, and the others were just trying to stop me."

"As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter whose fault it was or why you did it," Ozpin chimed in. "You were all out past curfew, and you all made the decision to abandon your teams to go on a dangerous journey you were not equipped for, however noble that journey was."

"You made the wrong decision not telling us," Goodwitch added. "We have plenty of trained Huntsmen and Huntresses on our staff that could have led the rescue operation of Tea CFVY."

"We would have been in just as much trouble if we told you about the screams than we are now," Blake said rationally. "No matter what, you still would have figured out we broke curfew."

"Breaking curfew once or twice is a more reasonable violation of school policy," Goodwitch explained. "You would have been faced a far more lenient punishment, and more importantly, you wouldn't have nearly gotten yourselves killed."

"Actually, about that, Professor," Ruby spoke up. "Can we talk about that… _thing_ that attacked us."

"Ah, yes, your report," Ozpin sighed. "We investigated the sight after your departure. While we must admit the cave was quite gruesome, we could not find any evidence of the 'black goo' you all mentioned."

"You mean it just disappeared?" Ruby asked worriedly. Ozpin nodded.

"That, or it was never there, to begin with," he reasoned.

"What?" Yang said in surprise. "That shit was covering the entire cave. There are stains of it on my shirt, for crying out loud. We all saw it."

"Yes, and I believe you also claimed that a giant monster attacked you," Goodwitch moaned, adjusting her glasses. "We searched the surrounding area as well. Though there were certainly signs of a scuffle, we couldn't find any clues to the creature's whereabouts, or its supposed identity."

"You've got to be kidding me," Blake protested. "That thing left a massive trail behind it. You had to find something."

"We'll continue to dedicate more resources into the matter," Ozpin claimed, "but in the meantime, I think we can come to the immediate conclusion that this was some sort of bear attack."

"A bear attack?" Blake asked, offended. "That thing wasn't a damn bear, Professor."

"She's right, sir," Weiss noted. "I know pretty well what bears are, and none of them were like that monster. My sword could barely pierce its skin."

"Plus, it tried to eat me!" Yang exclaimed. "How many man-eating bears have you ever heard of before?"

"Look, children, I think what's happened is that you've suffered from some sort of… mass delusion," he said politely. "It was dark, you were tired, and you had all just seen things more shocking than anyone your age ever should. When the mind is stretched and tormented, it can easily trick itself into seeing things that are not true. When people drown, they imagine their dead relatives out in front of them. When dying of thirst, they see mirages. There's no shame in admitting that your fears got the better of you."

"That _wasn't_ a bear," Ruby said forcefully. She hadn't lost her mind. She wasn't hallucinating. In the airship, she obsessed over the creature, searching over for it in every facet of her mind. She thought she found a match, deep in her childhood, but even as she said it out loud it felt almost impossible. "I think that… maybe that thing was a Grimm."

The room went silent, and all eyes shifted to her as she closed her posture.

"A Grimm? Are you serious?" Goodwitch asked doubtingly.

"Yeah, Ruby, you're joking, right?" Yang said halfheartedly.

"Wait, I don't get it. What's a Grimm?" asked Weiss unfamiliarly.

"I'm being honest. That was a Grimm," Ruby stated more confidently. "I heard stories about Grimm every night when I was growing up. I remembered them inside and out. That thing we fought was exactly like how Mom described them to me."

"Grimm are just fairy tales," Blake said dismissively.

"Then do you have any better explanations for what that was?" Ruby questioned. Blake opened her mouth, but said nothing, bowing her head in contemplation. Yang was left speechless, but Goodwitch slammed her fist on the desk, drawing their attention back to her.

"I think you all need to lay off the fairy stories," Goodwitch claimed sternly, "especially when you should be far more concerned about the reality that is in front of you."

"Glynda is correct," Ozpin stated. "While the Grimm theory is… _interesting_ , to say the least, it's hardly relevant to the matter of your punishment. Your actions aren't something we can take lightly."

"Seriously? We saved three students' lives," Yang protested.

"Through no effort on your own," Goodwitch explained. "You stumbled across their cave and further stumbled through your encounter with the bear. The only reason you're here is because you got lucky."

"Professor Goodwitch is correct," Ozpin said further. "While we appreciate your efforts to save the others, there is a fine line between bravery and foolishness."

"Your decision to enter the forest was clearly the latter," Goodwitch added for emphasis.

"On top of that, as we said before, you disobeyed our direct orders. In an actual battle, it is essential that we know we can reliably communicate with other Huntsmen, and they will respect the chain of command. If you can't follow something as simple as staying in your room past a certain hour, you can hardly be expected to follow orders during life or death situations."

"On its own, that would be one matter, but combined with your other actions…"

"I personally only see one reasonable action that could properly send a message to the other students," Ozpin said clearly. Goodwitch nodded, and the girls exchanged nervous glances, fearing the worst. It wasn't as if there were many options. The faculty had told them from the beginning what would happen if they violated their orders. In the middle of the night, with everything else weighing on their minds, it was difficult to fully process that their journey to become Huntresses was likely over.

"We're sorry that it has to come to this," she said honestly, though a hint of a smile appeared on her face. A part of her loved dolling out punishments, even if she had respect for those affected. Ruby couldn't say she was undeserving of it. She hoped her dad would understand.

"All things considered, I've come to the decision… _not_ to expel you," Ozpin said with finality.

"Exactly, you aren't expelled—wait, what?" Goodwitch paused the smile vanishing. Ruby should have felt relieved. She wasn't; at least if she was expelled, she could have prepared for it, rationalized it. Instead, she had no idea what Ozpin had in store.

"Truthfully, it would only be fair for me to kick you out of this Academy. Your recklessness would be more than enough to disqualify you," Ozpin explained through sips of tea. "However, I've seen your progress through the tests, and in my personal opinion, you have far too much promise for me to let you go without giving you a second chance to prove yourselves. Besides, saving the top second-year team has to account for _something_ , and I doubt Miss Adel would be happy if she never had the chance to thank you for saving her. I hear she makes a wonderful cup of coffee for her friends."

"Professor, you're seriously considering letting them off the hook?" Goodwitch said, stunned.

"I never said that. I said I'm not expelling them… yet," Ozpin continued. "You know, students, back in my day, we didn't use our current testing system. As I'm sure you recall, we used to place students in the Emerald Forest and have them fight their way out, letting them naturally group themselves in the process. In order to determine team rank, we would measure who emerged from the forest the quickest, and inevitably, this led to a lot of fighting between the teams during such an exercise. While initially, it was a bug, it eventually grew into the most exciting part of the test: watching students struggle against each other made the more accustomed to the struggles of becoming a Huntsman. The test has since been discontinued, but I can feel its spirit still lingering in these halls, and I can feel in my heart that it is the key to your future at Beacon."

"What are you—oh," Goodwitch said suddenly, nodding efficiently. "You're talking about letting _that_ be the determining factor? If so, I must say I had you pegged wrong for a moment back there. I had thought you became too generous."

"Wait a minute," Blake said suddenly, "you're not talking about throwing us back into the forest to fight that monster, are you?"

"As entertaining as that would be, no," Ozpin grinned. "You four violated our trust, and it wouldn't be fair to the other students to let you ignore the consequences we specifically laid out. If you want to continue your studies at Beacon Academy, you are going to have to prove that you deserve the special treatment… by defeating your peers in combat."

"You want us to fight other students?" Ruby shuddered. It was wonderful that he was willing to give them a second chance, but hurting the other students? She didn't want to hurt anybody. What would happen if her scythe cut apart one of the other kids, like how she had mutilated Roman Torchwick. She wouldn't be able to live with herself.

"Not all of them; just the best," Ozpin declared. "Your four are going to battle Team 1 in a best of three series of duels. We'll hold one battle each day, starting tomorrow. Classes will have to be postponed, but after a long, stressful week, I'm sure the other students wouldn't mind a little relaxation. The conditions: if you win, you get to continue your studies at Beacon. If you lose, you leave. That is what I'm willing to offer you."

Yang threw her head back and sighed. Blake said thing further, trying and failing of thinking of a better way out of the mess she inadvertently created. Weiss, however, raised her hand, confused and yet still maintaining a smug vibe in her tone of voice.

"Um, Professor, while I appreciate the offer, I can't help but notice a _teensy_ problem," she explained dutifully carefully. "If I'm on Team 1, how exactly am I supposed to fight against myself?"

Ozpin leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes, smiling peacefully. "Oh, I don't believe that will be much of a problem, Weiss. Because, starting this moment, the _four of you_ are now the brand-new Team 10."

The room became still, and then suddenly, the girls lunged forward in the seats simultaneously, aghast. " _What!?"_

"If you are insistent on breaking the rules together, then you can work as a team in Beacon together," Ozpin stated firmly. Weiss immediately stood up, shaking her head furiously.

"No, no, no, no, _no_ ," she said quickly. "I worked hard to get on the best team. I nearly _killed_ myself trying to pass those tests. You can't just take me away from my team—Pyrrha Nikos's team—and just dump me at the bottom of the totem pole with these idiots!"

"Hey, we're right here, bitch," Blake said snidely.

"Oh, you know it's true!" Weiss shouted defensively, before kneeling at Ozpin's desk, her eyes widening as big as she could make them. "Please, Professor Ozpin, _please_ don't do this to me. I'll do anything you want, but you have to keep me with my team. It's not fair."

"I'm sorry, Miss Schnee, but my decision is final," Ozpin stated. Weiss fell back into her chair, dejected, broken, tears welling in her eyes. If she hadn't just called her an idiot, Ruby might have felt bad for her. Despite their grievances, Weiss had worked harder than anyone to make it to the top. She was cruel and wicked, but she fought and struggled, and she followed them into Emerald Forest when she could have stayed in the school where it was safe. There had to be something true and honorable there to allow that. Ruby thought of when she had been picked for her team merely hours before and Weiss was there, in the crowd, laughing at her misfortune. She would have liked to say that karma won the day, that she could laugh back, but she couldn't. She was simply ambivalent, and maybe that was worse.

"If it's any consolation," Goodwitch chimed in, "it's likely that since we'll have to reshuffle teams anyway, Miss Nikos's team may be downgraded, and Team CRDL would take the top position. So, at the very least, you won't have to fight against her. If you did, I would say you might as well go back to Atlas now."

Weiss simply glared at her through cold eyes, and Goodwitch cleared her throat. "Too soon?"

"Well, on that note," Ozpin said with a yawn, finishing his drink. "I believe that's all there is to discuss for tonight. You can return to your dorms and gather our belongings. You'll sleep back in the makeshift barracks until we can reorganize your new room—assuming you'll be staying with us for the remainder of the semester."

The girls had so much more they wanted to say, about everything. The monster. The tests. Their team. But they were running on fumes, and the temptation of sleep was far too great. Slowly but surely, they rose out of their chairs, and together as the unit they were forced to become, entered the elevator and exited Ozpin's office. Goodwitch watched them go with intense focus, and when they were out of sight, her face grew dimmed, and she turned to Ozpin, speaking quietly.

"You shouldn't have kept them here."

"it's fine," he said forcibly.

"She was bleeding. That means it has her scent. If something happens—"

"It's _fine_ , Glynda," Ozpin repeated louder. "I've already sent Qrow to deal with it. He hasn't let us down yet."

"He better not. That bird isn't worth half the trouble he's worth," she said distastefully. "Anyway, _you_ have to reorganize their teams by tomorrow morning. Have you given it any thought?"

"I have," he stated clearly.

"So, then, who are you considering for Miss Schnee's replacement? Personally, I think Miss Lilliota would be a wonderful choice. Her Semblance would make her a perfect fit with the others."

"I appreciate the forethought, but I've decided upon something slightly more… controversial, should we say."

"Who then?"

Ozpin said the name, and Glynda gasped, taken aback. "You can't be serious."

"What is the central purpose of a team if not balance?" Ozpin reasoned. "And what could be more balanced than pairing the best student in decades with one of the worst? Besides, the boy could use the practice, Ren and Nora won't mind someone more pleasant to talk with, and if we're already throwing the rules out the window—"

"It's a mockery of everything this school has ever stood for!" Goodwitch said boldly.

"She'll do far more to help him than he will do to harm her. Every student deserves a chance to succeed," he said rationally. "Besides, you think _everything_ is a mockery of what this school has stood for."

"There are a lot of mockeries in this damn Academy," Goodwitch muttered under her breath. Ozpin rolled his eyes. The night had revealed to him that they would have a very strange and interesting semester ahead of them. Personally, he could not wait to find out where it went.

* * *

The instant the doors to the elevator reopened, Weiss left the others. She didn't even say goodbye. Ruby called out to her, but the heiress didn't bother to respond. There was no malice in her behavior, at least not as Ruby could tell, but she still wanted to chase after her. She was, technically, her teammate, and they needed to support each other, even if it was something they did not desire. Yet, before Ruby could take two steps out of the elevator, Yang placed a hand on her shoulder and held her back.

"Let her go to bed," she suggested. "She's had a long day. We can deal with her in the morning."

"I think she hates us," said Ruby somberly.

"Yeah, who wouldn't?" Yang shrugged.

"What about you? You were on Team 3, and now—"

"Aw, who gives a shit?" Yang groaned. "It could be worse. I mean, I was almost Grimm food a few hours ago. Besides, now we can actually be on a team together, just like we always wanted. Right?"

Ruby nodded slowly. Her sister was lying through her teeth. It was a kind gesture, but in the late hours of the night, she couldn't maintain the illusion as well as she thought. Ruby kept the matter to herself for the time being. In the future, they would have to talk about it when their emotions weren't so overwhelming.

"They're hiding something?"

"Hmm?"

Blake walked past the pair, her arms crossed contemplatively. "Ozpin and Goodwitch. They were lying to us about the forest."

"What are you talking about?" asked Yang.

"Do you honestly believe that with all of their resources, they weren't able to find anything?" Blake said knowledgeably. "Plus, bears don't live in that kind of forest ecosystem. Hell, they don't even live in this part of the Kingdom. So why would they think a bear attacked us? It doesn't make any sense."

"They could just be basing their guess off what we described it as in our report," Ruby assumed, but Blake shook her head.

"Ruby, how did we describe it exactly?"

"Well, we said it was big and black and furry, and it had a bone-plated skull, and it tried to eat us."

"Anything else?"

"It walked on all fours?" Ruby added, not following along.

"There are hundreds of species that live in the Emerald Forest," Blake explained. "I could get anything from that. Great Wolf. Black Mountain Lion. Panther. If they said it was one of those, at least they would be picking something that actually ate meat."

"Well, the thing _did_ look like an actual bear," Yang stated.

"Yes, but they don't know that," Blake countered. "It just doesn't sit right with me. It's like they weren't trying to figure out the truth, but they were trying really hard to convince us that we didn't see something they didn't want us to see."

"Come on, Blake, you're overthinking this," Yang brushed her off. "You don't really think Ozpin would lie to us, would you?"

"They would if they wanted to keep a Grimm's existence a secret," Blake guessed.

Ruby's eyes lit up. "So, does that mean you believe me? About it being a Grimm?"

"Honestly, I don't know what I' supposed to believe anymore," Blake sighed. "I just know that someone is lying to us. I can feel it."

"Okay, I think this is another issue we can punt until the morning," Yang yawned. "Not like we don't have a billion other issues to deal with in the morning, but I'm too tired, and I can't even sleep in my own bed tonight. I'm headed out, Team…"

Yang paused, and silently counted the others on her fingers. She grinned tiredly. "Team Brewery."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Team Brewery. B-R-W-Y. You know, because we like to drink and party all the time," she said devilishly.

"Uh… yeah, we're not going with that," Blake said, annoyed. Yang hand-waved away the issue, and continued off down the hall. Ruby smacked her hand against her forehead.

"I guess we do need to figure out a team name," she muttered. She really did not want to think about it, but she knew deep down that if she didn't think of a name, she wouldn't be able to sleep—not like she would be sleeping that night regardless. She tapped her foot, frustrated, pulling together every possible combination of initials until Blake suddenly broke her train of thought.

"RWBY."

"What is it?"

"No, RWBY. R-W-B-Y. That's our team name," Blake said blandly.

"Oh. You… want to name the team after me?" she asked, surprised.

"You did take out that Grimm back there, so why not? Plus, it'll be easy to remember."

"It'll also be really confusing in casual conversation," Ruby noted, but before she could finish her sentence, Blake had already walked away from her, heading back to get some rest. The decision, she supposed, was final. Weiss would probably hate it, but she thought it had a decent ring to it. Team RWBY. Sure, she was a little biased, but it fit them well enough, and the more she said, the better it sounded. She might have been completely alone by the elevator, abandoned by the others, but somehow, saying the name made her feel less lonely than she had all since she arrived at Beacon. They were at the bottom of the class, and would most likely get expelled over the next few days, but the anxiety that had plagued her all day long was gone, and for the moment she felt at peace.

Team RWBY. A team to call her own. She could get used to that.

* * *

 **Note: Hi, there. We want to give a huge thanks to everyone who has followed the story through all of our frustrating schedules. Also, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to give us feedback; we read and appreciate everything, good and bad. This whole story started out basically as a thought experiment to rewrite the first season of RWBY, so it's fair to describe this whole first chunk of the story our first major arc (we call it the "Inauguration Arc", but call it whatever you want). As such, we just wanted to briefly describe some of the thought processes behind writing this story the way we have.**

 **Probably the biggest problems in the first eight episodes of RWBY is how little actual story and character there is. The only plot is "Characters go to Beacon, characters go to the forest, Teams are formed," with minor sprinkles of melodrama interspersed throughout. We get why that is, because they have to introduce a lot of characters and concepts all at once, but there isn't really anything else driving the story forward once teams are set, and aside from the Ruby-Weiss spat, there isn't any character drama going on to get invested in. We tried instead to fit as much stuff as we possibly could into each character piece, though to be truthful this probably resulted in characters arguing too much, which we'll try to dial back on as the story goes forward.**

 **Speaking of characters, we also think Ruby puts way too much focus on the wrong characters in the early episodes. JNPR is fun, but they should not have received equal (or usually greater) screentime than the main four. _Jaune should not have more speaking lines and character moments than Blake, who only has around ten lines of dialogue in eight episodes_. We get that she's quiet and mysterious, but she can mostly just comes across as nonexistent. Honestly, we think RWBY has way too many characters in general, so while we'll probably do something to add in other side characters, expect them to mainly function to further the development on the main four. Also, we are very much aware of how many of you hate Weiss. We noticed the first arc needed an antagonist, and honestly, its very fun to write very terrible people.**

 **That's pretty much it for this little retrospective on the story so far. We're considering doing more of these after each story arc, so if you want to hear our thoughts, let us know. We also are probably going to take a little break from writing until August so we can develop more ideas, so we'll leave you with the question: What did you think of this first major arc for "Let Us Be Your Poison"? What changes did you like? What did you hate? What do you want to see happen next? We love critique and criticism so feel to write anything down below. We're also going to start trying to respond to comments more (presuming you have an account we can actually respond to), so feel free to say or ask anything. We hope to see you next month.**

 **-GodSaveTheKings**


	15. Proving Ground

**Note: We're back! Early for once! Thanks to all the people who commented on the last chapter. We're starting the second arc of our RWBY Season 1 reimagining, and this one should be a bit shorter (we're aiming for around five or six chapters). We don't have a name for it, but we're going to try to make this one a bit more action focused. We've never quite been confident in our capability to write action scenes, so please let us know what you think. We'll try to come up with a name for this arc next time (which we'll try to complete by the end of August). For now, enjoy.**

* * *

 _Okay_ , Ruby thought, _let's take stock of what we have to work with._

Less than twelve hours ago, she nearly died in a forest. The cause: Grimm. More accurately, hypothetical Grimm. Fairytale creatures of pure and total darkness that consume Souls and, based on her observations, other human parts as well. Most of its body: immune to modern weaponry. The method behind its quasi-defeat: a sniper rifle blast to the exposed tissue by its eye. Enough damage to kill it: Nope. Good news: She rescued the remaining members of Team CFVY, the top-ranked team of second-year students, including its charismatic and permanently cool leader, Coco Adel. Other good news: She was finally on a team with her sister, Yang Xiao Long.

Bad news: a lot. Team RWBY—her new group containing her ferocious sister, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and eternally bitchy Atlasian, Weiss Schnee, and the enigmatic and observant Blake Belladonna—were ranked in last place, placing them at constant risk of expulsion. Worse news: that expulsion may have been imminent, as Professor Ozpin had sentenced them to a best-of-three duel against Team CRDL, the newly top-ranked team in their own class. Their location: one of the old testing facilities; the large gymnasium where she had fought and lovingly wrestled a Great Wolf not long before. Their ring: a flat, circular platform in the center of the arena. Their headmaster: observing from a skybox high above them, Professor Goodwitch by his side. Their other observers: students from other classes, watching from raised viewing platforms above and out of the way. Their classes: temporarily delayed, so that everyone could watch the saviors of Team CFVY fight for their survival, like some cruel form of entertainment.

Their opponents: Team CRDL. The best of the best. Previously: the second best of the best. Her familiarity with them: none. Correction: mostly none. Their captain, Cardin Winchester, hit on her sister during the orientation party. She publicly rejected him. It was brutal. His class ranking: well within the top ten. His weapon: a mace. His Semblance: unknown. Personality: not very nice. Strengths: physically imposing, likely quick reflexes, moderate range on attacks. Weaknesses: to be determined. Should she have been aware of them from watching him during the sixth test? Yes. Was she? No. Nor was she familiar with the other three members on his team. Russel Thrush: quick looking with daggers for close range. Dove Bronzewing: heavier, more helpful for defense. Sky Lark: complete mystery. Without proper study time, it was impossible to judge her team's odds in the upcoming battle.

Her team: Team RWBY. Named after her: Ruby Rose. Pros: More than she first thought. Weapon: Crescent Rose, a scythe/sniper rife. Benefits: Long range and unique; enemies would not have strategies to counter it. Semblance: speed. Quick on her feet. Strong reflexes. Able to dodge most physical attacks. Strategic knowledge: exemplary. Perception: highly aware of all surroundings. Experience: defeated and captured notorious criminal Roman Torchwick, and survived a close quarter battle with a Grimm. Cons: plentiful. Physical strength and stamina: weak. She was short and frail, and the likelihood of her absorbing a damaging physical blow was slim. Aura training: minimal. Her knowledge of her own powers was limited. Increasingly likely she could push herself too far. Other worries: previously sustained damage. Her leg: not completely healed. A combination of Aura-boosting and drugs kept her on her feet. Odds her opponents would target that as her weakness: high.

Weiss Schnee. Weapon: Myrtenaster, an Atlasian Dust rapier. Pros: More than she'd like to admit. Training: top of her class at an Atlasian military academy. Additional experience: surviving a Grimm fight. Agility and mobility: highly rated. Able to keep light on her feet and graceful under pressure. Composure: stable. Her attacks: accurate and precise. Her Semblance: Glyphs. Extremely powerful. Versatile. Quick and easy to utilize and swap between. Could easily keep opponents on their toes. Cons: More than she'd like to have in a partner. Physical attributes: weak. Her frame: flimsy. Easily broken with the slightest pressure. Her pride: bothersome. High chance of making irrational moves due to lack of experience. Temper: present. Not very helpful. Her weapon: while normally useful at close range, unlikely to be effective against enemy armor. Also: she was mean.

Blake Belladonna. Weapon: Gambol Shroud: a katana/submachine gun that could be dual wielded with its heavy sheath. Pros: Well-rounded. Strength: excellent. Speed: excellent. Reflexes: excellent. Accuracy: excellent. Combat awareness and strategy: almost as good as Ruby's own. Semblance: afterimages. Capable of creating easy distractions while Blake attacks from another angle. Experience: more than she let on. Overall: probably the best single fighter on the entire team. Cons: Loner. Previous attempts to talk strategy with Blake before the match: unsuccessful. Communication skills: poor. Capable of thinking up superior strategies, but likely to enact them on her own before sharing with the team. Evidence: poor teamwork during the Grimm battle despite her leading the push to hold it back. Overall assessment: needed to open up.

Yang Xiao Long. Weapons: Ember Celica, dual shotgun gauntlets. Pros: overwhelming physical power. Strength: exceeded all reasonable human expectations. Speed: excellent, though with more limited stamina when in combat. Her attacks: blunt. Perfect for taking on heavily armored targets. Her Semblance: twofold. First, physical damage converted into Aura. Second, utilized "Aura Burst" to supercharge her attacks and senses for limited periods of time at the cost of faster Aura depletion. Cons: limited usage over longer periods of time. Aura Bursting provided extreme short-term power while decreasing overall effectiveness. Weapons: useless at anything more than short-medium range. Her combat awareness and experience: limited. Analogy: Yang was a firecracker, extremely dangerous up close and personal, but harmless once she fizzled out.

Overall assessment: eh.

Ruby probably shouldn't have thought about it like that. It was a rather pessimistic analysis. For the bottom ranked team, they actually possessed quite a lot of skill. She supposed they had to be at least somewhat talented if they overcame a Grimm, but she was surprised at just how well her makeshift team turned out. There were some commonalities between them, such as their quickness, and with some proper configuration, she could even think of some methods to balance their strengths and weaknesses. However, her overall assessment was still weighted down, primarily on account of how strong Team CRDL was made out to be, but also because she had no idea what the boys were capable of doing once the fight commenced. Their armor was thick and their weapons heavy, and when combined with their mostly frail bodies and weak defenses, plus the unknown nature of their Semblances, the strength of their matchup was anybody's guess.

The others did not have any of the same worries they did. They hardly so much as looked at each other as they stretched and practiced using their modified weapons. It was something Ruby herself had not enjoyed, though she understood and happily accepted its reasoning. Before they entered the arena, they were forced to hand over their weapons to the staff for what they referred to as "delethalization," or as it was put into practice, the placing of thick rubber padding and stoppers on all sharp blades and jagged edges, and swapping out all true ammunition for rubber bullets. As Goodwitch explained to them, in a real battle, Aura was not capable of blocking every type of attack, and it would probably weigh a lot on the students' minds if they accidentally murdered their own classmates. Dust was still allowed, but it was apparent to Ruby that she wasn't going to be chopping Cardin Winchester's arm off like she had Roman Torchwick's fragile limb. While she didn't enjoy _anyone_ touching Crescent Rose, the relief of not worrying about her opponent's blood spilling out took a great deal of pressure off her mind.

"You girls get any sleep last night?" Yang asked suddenly, stretching her arms over her head.

"Did you?" asked Blake.

"Nope. Don't need it," Yang insisted. "Honestly, I can't wait to just kick some ass and get done with this."

"You know these guys are at the top of the class, right?" Weiss reminded her, but Yang handwaved the issue away.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Be careful," she moaned. "Don't worry. I was ranked right behind these guys, remember? After that Grimm, these guys are going to be a piece of cake."

"Hey, Yang!"

The firecracker looked out across the arena, where the Team CRDL were huddled together, smirking and hanging off each other carelessly. Cardin stood in the center, his proud chest bulging out with his arms crossed over.

"You look pretty calm for someone about to get expelled," he grinned.

"You look pretty confident for someone who's about to get his ass kicked," Yang replied effortlessly, her cocky resolve shining through each syllable.

"Whoa, that's a lot of confidence coming for someone who ranked beneath me on Team Day," he whistled.

"I scored higher than you on three tests," Yang rolled her eyes. "If you want to surrender now, feel free to let me know. It'd be embarrassing for such a big, strong man to lose so badly in front of all these people."

"You're that sure of yourself, huh?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"If that's how you feel, how about the two of us make this a little more interesting?" Cardin snickered. Ruby immediately felt her heart skip a beat. She hurriedly called out to her sister to stop her, but Yang's lips moved faster than her own.

"You mean a bet?" Yang asked, excitement rising in her voice. "I'm in."

"Wait, you're not serious, are you?" Blake asked, concerned.

"Hell, yeah, I'm serious," Yang insisted, smiling. "So, Cardin what kind of creepy sex thing do you want me to do if I lose? Private striptease? Nude photos? Handjob in a back alley?"

"Yang, Yang, Yang, why would you assume something so filthy?" Cardin asked in jest.

"Am I wrong? These kinds of bets _always_ turn into creepy sex things."

"Please, Yang," Cardin said mockingly, "I'm a chivalrous guy. The only thing I could ever ask from a maiden such as yourself… is a kiss."

"A kiss?" Ruby muttered to herself. Somehow, she figured Yang would hate that even more than the public nudity thing. Yang was—much to her chagrin—a playfully sexual person, and it wasn't as if she had trouble showing off her body to everyone else in the school before, even if it wasn't fully intentional. But a kiss was something intimate, emotional, and pure, all things she could not share with someone so foreign and rigid as Cardin Winchester. Whether or not Yang felt the same way, her sister did not show it, rather smirking deviously to herself as she quickly crafted a punishment of her own.

"Fine by me," Yang said smartly, "but if we win, you have to put on a pair women's lingerie and run laps around the dorms."

"Deal."

"And _I_ get to pick the lingerie!" Yang declared. Cardin merely shrugged.

"Whatever you say."

With their banter finished, it was time to begin. A microphone's feedback echoed over the room, and soon Professor Goodwitch's voice filled the air. "Good morning, students. We would like to thank you for your patience as we deal with a very interesting fall semester. I'm sure you've all heard plenty of rumors since last night, but we aren't going to dwell on whispers, I'm afraid. Instead, all of you should sit back and enjoy the combat trials for the next three days, and wish Team CFVY the best of luck in recovery. As for the teams battling, I'll briefly explain the rules to you, and then we can begin. Each team will start on opposite sides of the arena, and on my signal, you will attempt to eliminate every member of the opposing team. There is no time limit, and no limitation on what you can do with your weapons or Semblances. The only ways to eliminate your opponent are by knocking them out of the arena so that their feet touch the ground, a personal declaration of surrender, or if Professor Ozpin or I declare them no longer able to compete in the match. Any questions?"

Ruby raised her hand. "When you say unable to compete, you mean knocking them out, right?"

"Knockouts, ensnarement, technicalities… pretty much anything that makes them unable to fight back."

"But what if they get, say, a broken leg?" Ruby asked. "What if they weren't able to stand anymore, but they had a lot of fighting spirit left and still gave it their all? Would you stop then?"

"Well, it depends—"

"But what if they really can't fight back and we end up hurting them?" Ruby asked faster. "Would you be capable of fixing severe bodily harm because you failed to judge whether to stop the match on time? If a person is knocked out, are they removed from the field so that there's no risk of further injury, or—"

"You know, Miss Rose, you just worry about fighting, and we'll worry about the details," Goodwitch snapped. "We've done this before, and I assure you, we are quite good at it. You will know a stoppage when it happens. All right?"

Ruby gulped nervously. "Uh… yeah… okay then…"

Goodwitch took a deep, relaxing breath. "Excellent. Then, if there are no further questions, the teams shall announce themselves to their opponents, and the match will be underway. Team One, declare yourselves."

The boys righted their posture, and as if they had practiced a million times, raised their weapons to the sky in unison, as Cardin took to the front of the pack and, in his loudest, deepest voice, shouted, "Team CRDL: Strength in Numbers!"

"Wonderful," Goodwitch cooed. "Team Ten, declare yourselves."

The girls declared nothing. They loosened their grips on their weapons, and stared awkwardly at each other for a long moment, frozen beneath the stares of the crowd, until Weiss finally turned up to the skybox and simply stated, "I'm sorry, what now?"

"Declare yourselves," Goodwitch repeated. "You know, you state your team name and motto to the world to show everyone who you are. It's a Huntsman tradition dating back centuries."

Team motto? Ruby recalled hearing something about that from Velvet, but through all of the chaos of the past few hours, the concept had completely slipped their minds. It was supposedly a team building exercise; the creation of a single identity and theme that the members could rally around in times of need. In addition, it was fun, and allowed the students to take part in creative exercises outside of the classroom. For example, Team CFVY's motto was "Guns, Glory and Air Guitars," a string of words which was so perfect, Ruby couldn't help but think of the team striking dramatic, cocky poses as she thought the words through. Team CRDL's motto, on the other hand, was apparently "Strength in Numbers," a saying that, while initially bold and powerful, became very stupid very quickly as Ruby realized that Team CRDL did not, in fact, have more numbers than they did.

"So… any of you guys have ideas for a motto?" Ruby asked quietly.

"Haven't exactly had the time to think about it," Blake groaned, thoroughly irritated at what she must have thought was a ludicrous concept. Weiss quickly sprang to attention.

"Ooh, how about 'Sponsored by the Schnee Dust Company'? That would certainly give us an air of authority, don't you think?"

"No, I don't think," Blake muttered. Weiss glared sharply at her, but Yang shoved her way between them.

"Team RWBY: Not a Bunch of Newbies!" she said cheerfully. She checked Blake for approval, but the gloomy student just slapped her forehead in shame, and Yang's heart sank.

"I, uh… don't think rhyming is really appropriate for Huntresses," Ruby suggested.

"Damn, you guys are no fun," Yang pouted.

"What the hell is a newbie?" Weiss muttered under her breath. Goodwitch's voice shot back over the speaker system, disrupting them.

"Team Ten, do you have a name and motto yet?"

"We got the name," Yang shouted back at her, "but we're still, um, workshopping the motto. Can you give us, like, five minutes?"

"Well, can you at least have your leader say your _name_ for the class then?" Goodwitch growled.

"Leader?" Weiss questioned.

"A leader," Goodwitch said sternly. "A field commander. Someone who tells you what to do. You four did pick a team leader, right?"

Yang scratched the back of her head and grinned uncomfortably. "We… sort of consider ourselves more of an _egalitarian_ Huntress team."

Silence from the skybox. An eternity later, the professor mumbled into the microphone. "Oh, dear God, you four are screwed."

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Impartiality!" Goodwitch said with sudden enthusiasm. "The battle will commence on my command. Huntsman, Huntresses, prepare for combat."

The girls quickly readied themselves, briefly stunned b the announcement, each taking a direct combat stance without taking a step. Ruby stared across the field at her competition. Even twenty meters away, he could see their pride as they positioned themselves in the shape of a diamond, with Cardin taking the front, his mace held vertically close to his chest. Russel stayed close to the ground on the left, holding his daggers outwards. Dove kept to the right with his sword prepared in the same manner as Cardin's mace, and Sky took the back, his halberd long enough to reach out to both sides. Their back was positioned to the edge of the platform, ten feet of dark grey tile behind them. They had only been together for a few hours, and yet they formed up without saying a single word.

That was bad.

"Uh, guys, do we have a plan?" Ruby asked worriedly.

"Well, they're pretty close to the edge. We could knock them off balance and force them out," Blake reasoned, studying her foes.

"Or we just hit them hard enough," Yang stated, cracking her knuckles.

"Their armor is too thick for that," Weiss said dismissively.

"Then you haven't seen me hit hard," Yang smirked in retaliation, brushing her hair back over her shoulder. "Watch and learn."

Goodwitch's voice boomed over the arena. "Battle One: begin!" The crowd cheered, and the match was on.

Without hesitation, Yang burst forward at top speed, ignoring Ruby's calls to wait and think through their strategy more before rushing across the platform with everything she had. Team CRDL did not rush out to meet her, choosing to hold their ground as she approached five meters closer, then ten, then fifteen. The boys held their weapons close until she was almost right on top of them, and when she finally leaped forward and pulled her arm back for a sturdy punch to Cardin's midsection, their leader lunged forward, planting his fist into the ground. His entire body pulsed with golden energy as Yang's fist connected, and she felt all her momentum halt in an instant. She tried to power through the energy, but the driving force behind her blow was stopped until three seconds passed, and Cardin finally powered down, causing her to stumble towards the remaining members of CRDL. She was not there long; swiftly, Sky leaned in from the back and opened up his mouth, releasing a piercing scream with swept her off her feet and launched her towards the edge of the arena, where she rolled back to her feet with a huff. Cardin picked himself off his knees, blowing her a soft kiss, which, combined with the sudden blow to the head, caused enough anger to swell within her to turn her eyes an evil shade of red.

"You motherfu—"

Goodwitch's voice returned forcefully. "Yang Xiao Long: eliminated."

Yang looked up at the skybox in confusion, and it as only then that she noticed her teammates staring disappointedly at her, and the silent shock that had fallen over the other students. She gazed down to check for any match-threatening injuries when she saw it: the heel of her left foot, sticking just outside the boundaries of the arena, crossing onto the dark grey floor.

"Seriously? That's an elimination?" she asked the skybox, before adjusting her gaze to the targets right in front of her. "Screw that, I can still kick their—"

Yang took a single step forward, and that was all the incentive Goodwitch needed to flip a switch from within the control chamber high above the room, and trigger the security system buried inside the wall. A single panel sprung open from behind her, and before Yang could even breathe, she felt an electric current jolt through her system, sending her convulsing to the ground. Ruby gasped in horror, but her partners merely rolled their eyes at their friend's failings.

"Anyone else feel like not playing along, and they'll get the same. Clear?" Goodwitch asked, her demanding tone barely hiding her satisfaction.

Guided by either frustration or miscalculation, Blake and Weiss sprang into action, each taking wide, opposite routes as they charged forward. Ruby, however, simply watched Team CRDL move back into the position, and reevaluated their chances. At first, she had assumed their defensive positioning to be an arrogant mistake, but it was increasingly apparent that she was wrong. She had thought that in a competition with the danger of stepping out of the boundaries, one would naturally assume to remain as close to the middle of the field as possible. However, by keeping their backs to the wall, Team CRDL was effectively able to keep all of RWBY in front of them at once, nullifying any capabilities for surprise attacks that could knock them out of balance. RWBY may have had a speed advantage, but with CRDL's strong armor and defensive Semblances—a temporary body shield to deflect physical attacks, a widespread blast to keep enemies at a distance, and two more powers kept close to the chest—being able to outrun their opponent didn't matter. All CRDL had to do was wait for them to attack, and watch as the girls helplessly pinged off them like bullets ricocheting off a tank.

What followed was to be expected, though Ruby wished desperately that it did not. Blake took to the right, sticking low to the ground, firing off pot shots with her right hand and dragging her sheath behind her in her left. She excelled at one-on-one combat, so Ruby knew she would look for an opening between the mass of bodies and create a diversion outwards, attempting to break the group up any way she knew how. Without any shifting terrain to climb and duck behind, however, she was forced to stay low to the ground, plainly in sight. Weiss, on the other hand, sprinted up a path of glyphs to the left, seeking to get the drop on them. She would have figured to end the battle quickly, so Ruby assumed she could try to place a vector glyph directly under CRDL's feet to launch them out of bounds before they knew how to react. Unfortunately, as Weiss briefly explained to her before the battle began, she could only make the glyphs within a range of ten feet, so she had to get close. And as both girls approached their targets, minds focused on a single goal, already distracted by Yang's sudden elimination, it became apparent to Ruby as well as CRDL that they hadn't noticed each other.

Cardin stamped his foot, and suddenly the diamond changed; Russel and Dove switched flanks, and demonstrated their Semblances. Russel clenched his fists and brought the ends of his hands together, and his arms started to flash rapidly, emitting a blind light which forced Blake to glance away from her targets. Dove pushed his free hand forward, and from his palm launched a golden rope of pure energy, which wrapped around Weiss's exposed leg. He yanked sharply, and she fell towards the pile as CRDL pulled away just in time to watch the two girls collide into each other, falling into a tangled mess. Their weapons went flying, and Blake rolled over on top of Weiss's stomach, growling with frustration.

"Hey, watch it!" Weiss grunted as Blake shoved her way back to her feet. Sky lunged toward them, and the darker girl panicked.

"Weiss! Glyph! Now!"

Weiss shook her head, trying to gather herself, but as she noticed that her sword had been knocked away, she froze, unable to move.

"Weiss! Do something dam—"

Blake's aura coursed through her legs, and she was forced to jump away as Sky's scream shattered the air once again. Weiss flew backward, sailing over Yang's head as she tumbled painfully on the exposed concrete. Useless.

"Weiss Schnee: eliminated."

Blake groaned, and jumped back into the fray. Her battle was short-lived. Cardin moved behind her to cut off her path to her weapons, and she was quickly surrounded, fighting back with only inaccurate kicks and furious swipes with her nails, like a cornered panther lashing out at whatever she could. In a matter of seconds, Dove reactivated his Semblance, and a pair of oversized glowing hands wrapped around Blake's torso, and she fell to the floor, straining and struggling pathetically to free herself.

"Blake Belladonna: eliminated."

And then, all eyes were on Ruby, so far away. CRDL's formation broke, and sensing the final opening, they charged at her. Her legs buckling beneath her, she could only watch as they drew closer and closer, her eyes wandering to her teammates, her sister, all lying defeated on the ground. All of them were so much better than her, superior fighters in every way, and they barely lasted two minutes. What could she do against such a force? She still had her scythe with her. She could still fight. For how long though, she was not sure. They would surround her in mere moments. But she could hold on for a bit, right? Do something?

" _You're doomed if you do that, kid."_

That voice. Those memories. Why were they returning at a time like this?

" _Why, Uncle Qrow?" she asked him, dancing Crescent Rose between her shoulders._ _"You said a scythe was a good weapon for slashing things."_

" _It's a good weapon if you know what you're doing. I do. You don't," Qrow explained, taking a long sip from his canteen. Despite being drunk, he was fairly competent, and his behavior usually never interfered from Ruby's weekly lessons in the forest behind her house. He walked up behind her and grabbed onto her hands, taking control of her body as he guided her through the motions of wielding her creation. "You see, kid, it's neat that you made this weapon from scratch, but—"_

" _Thank you."_

" _You're welcome. It's neat and all, but the thing about scythes is that they aren't a very traditional weapon. They're pretty much completely useless in close quarters, and because of the way they're shaped, they can't really be used for blocking or vertical slashes. Plus, these things are pretty heavy to move around, and with your body frame, you'd probably only get one attack in before throwing yourself completely off-balance. There's a reason why my scythe turns into a sword, you know."_

 _Qrow released his grasp, and Ruby felt all of the weight of the scythe return to her, nearly causing her to tumble face first into the soil._

" _So, you're saying Crescent Rose is a dud then?" she asked, disappointed._

 _Qrow smirked. "Not necessarily. See, scythes pretty much only have one way of being used effectively. They can't be used like swords, but instead, if you move your hands lower, and shift your arms like this…" Qrow adjusted her positioning until her hands were closer to the base of the weapon, and the hook was sticking far out past her side. "Well, now. You've got yourself a very useful tool to snare some crooks on."_

" _So, I swing it like this?" Ruby asked, taking a wide birth with the blade of the scythe. Qrow nodded, casually nestling himself into the blade._

" _You're going to want to start it a little further behind you," he explained. "Make sure to carry the attack through your shoulders and follow all the way through to the other side. Make as wide an arc as possible. And one more thing—never get caught standing still. This baby is practically dead weight and trying to use it with just your upper body mass is probably going to give you a hernia. If you keep moving, and the keep the weapon behind you, you can let your momentum take are of the heavy lifting for you and increase the power behind your swings. So, no, Crescent Rose is just fine as she is, as long you know how to use her. In fact, with your Semblance, you two can be an extremely deadly combination. Just make sure you have room to run."_

Room to run. She did not have it. CRDL closed in too quickly around her, and every avenue of escape had been blocked off. They were within meters of her, and she could see them readying their blades to attack. If she had acted a few seconds earlier, when she still had space to maneuver, she could have had a fighting chance. But, as Cardin raised his mace in preparation for the killing blow, she realized that the battle was already lost. She could not defend herself. She could not fight back. Part of it was the exhaustion from the Grimm fight, but deep down, she knew that even if they were well-rested, even if they had time to prepare, to come with some scrap of a plan, a motto, a leader, anything at all, they still would have been beaten thoroughly. CRDL was the best in their class, and they were the worst. They were outmatched, outpaced, and outclassed by a team that knew exactly how to beat them. It was over. And, as the enemies closed in and were about to strike her down, she opened her mouth, and said two words that tasted like poison on her tongue.

"I surrender."

A buzzer rang out through the arena, and the audience was left speechless. The final time of battle: two minutes and forty-three seconds. CRDL halted their attack, and their determination was soon replaced with high-fives and pats on the back, as Team RWBY lied strewn about the arena, bruised, humiliated, and defeated. From his skybox, Ozpin was surely shaking his head at the waste before him, and Goodwitch was surely shaking with smug glee. There were still two battles to come, but Ruby felt her optimism fade with the rest of that quaint family memory. One more failure would result in their expulsion. All because she gave up a fight she never had a chance of winning. Ruby felt her stomach churned, and pulled her hood over her eyes to hide her shame.


	16. Now We're Falling Apart

**Note: Hello again. Happy August. We have a short chapter today, but packed with a lot of emotional weight, so enjoy.**

* * *

"I can't believe you would do something like that!" Weiss howled, pacing across the empty floor of the abandoned sleeping quarters. Ruby sat on an empty bottom bunk in the center of the room, eyes glued to the floor that the heiress trampled upon as she stormed back and forth. Yang pouted as she sat in the same manner on the bed across from her, nursing the sore muscles on the back of her neck. Blake, on the other hand, sequestered herself in the far corner of the room, away from the madness, reading her book as if nothing happened. As if they had not failed.

"It was the only thing I could do," Ruby reasoned, but Weiss had none of it, jamming her finger in Ruby's face.

"It wasn't! You could have fought. You could have shown the tiniest bit of honor and taken your loss with dignity, but you _didn't_ ," Weiss spat venomously. "You were a coward. You completely fell apart under the pressure, and you quit."

"They already won the match," Ruby said meekly. "I wouldn't be able to anything against them, so I figured—"

"You figured you at least wouldn't have to get hurt, because you're a coward" Weiss cut her off. "I know you couldn't have won. _Everyone_ knew, but that's not what matters. What matters is that when you fight someone stronger than you, and you're outnumbered, and you know you're about to lose, you suck it up and fight through it anyway, because that's your damn job. In the real world, Huntresses can't just surrender and walk away quietly. When they fight, they either win, or they die. I fought. Yang fought. Blake fought. You didn't, and it makes me sick."

"We weren't just fighting one battle, though," said Ruby. "We have to fight again tomorrow, and if I got hurt to where I couldn't fight with you—"

"Ruby. Stop," Yang interjected. "Weiss is right."

The pair became deadly silent. Ruby stared at her sister in disbelief.

"What?"

"Second that… what?" Weiss asked in return, checking around the room as if to search for hidden cameras.

"I think Weiss has a point," Yang said dejectedly, slumping in her seat. "I don't think you should have given up so easily."

Ruby opened her mouth to respond, but the words escaped her. Her own sister taking the side of a Schnee—it sounded like a nightmare. And yet, Yang said what she felt was true, albeit unable to look Ruby in the eye.

"I can't believe we actually agree on something," said Weiss with authentic surprise.

"Yeah, it feels gross," Yang muttered. "Don't get used to it."

Ruby, stumbling through her words, found the courage to speak, and rose from the bed, placing her hands over her heart. "How could you take her side in this?"

"It's nothing personal," Yang insisted. "It's just that I think that if you're still able to fight, you should be trying to win. Surrendering isn't something Huntresses should do. That's all there is to it. No big deal."

"Of course, it's a big deal," Ruby said softly. "You're literally saying that our pride as Huntresses is more important than my own safety."

"Don't put words into my mouth," Yang grumbled. "Obviously, you should try to keep yourself safe, but we're fighting to save our entire lives here. I think you can afford to take a hit or two and keep on fighting through the pain. I managed to do it."

"Well, I'm sorry I'm not indestructible like you are," Ruby stated. She wasn't mad before that point, but those words in particular angered her to no end. She understood more than any of them to fight through the pain. She had a six ich gash in the back of her leg, and she was still able to take down the very same Grimm that almost chewed Yang's head off. Even as she stood amongst the desolate bunk beds she could barely put any weight on it. For her sister—her ultra-talented sister who always got herself into trouble and barreled through without consequence—to say those things, it hurt more than any mace or dagger. "Not like that did you much good anyway…"

"I'm sorry… what was that?" Yang asked. The comment was enough to force eye-contact between them, and Ruby could see the faintest glimmer of red in her sister's gaze. Blake peered up from her book, ears perked, and Weiss, who had been standing only a foot away from Ruby, slowly backed away from the sisters, sensing the imminent drama between them. As much as she loved watching people she didn't care for fight each other, something told her that she was going to see something ugly.

"You lost the fight just like me," Ruby explained, trying to contain her bitterness. "You attacked them without saying anything, got hit once, and were eliminated. If you had held back, we might not be here, but you didn't. I shouldn't be surprised."

"I'm saying this is typical of you: running straight into terrible ideas without thinking of any of the consequences. You did it last night when you jumped into the Emerald Forest, and then you did it again with that stupid bet with Cardin, and then you did it during the fight, too. You just make these incredibly stupid decisions that hurt people, and then you act like it's everyone else's fault for not rushing alongside with you. It's what you've been doing for your whole life."

"You want to explain that?" Yang growled.

"Do I have to?" Ruby asked rhetorically. "There was that time with the biker gang, and the time in our high school, and hell, even when you applied to this school you did it recklessly. Dad _begged_ you not to Beacon. He literally asked you to do anything else with your life, but no, you just _had_ to become a Huntress, so you could run around and get into fights all over Remnant. At least when _I_ broke his heart, we actually _talked_ about it. Not Yang Xiao Long. She just does whatever she wants no matter who she ends up leaving behind."

"You're talking a real big game from someone who was too scared to take a punch," Yang said in retaliation, raising her voice. "Because that's what this is about, isn't it? You're acting like your surrender was some brilliant tactical decision, but honestly, you were just afraid of getting beaten. You can say whatever the hell you want about me, but the fact is that we're _all_ losers here, and at least I can say that I fought to stay in this school. That's because I like it here. Imagine that—actually _liking_ the place you've been dreaming of going to your entire life."

"That has nothing to do with this," Ruby said defensively, but Yang jumped up from her seat, throwing her hands in the air, her skin starting to glow.

"Doesn't everything have to do with this?" she asked doubtingly, throwing on her best mocking voice and cocking her hips. "It's like you can never make up your mind. 'Oh, Yang, I want to be a hero so badly. Wait, now I have to do something heroic by saving these people in the forest? Nah, let's run away and hide behind the grown-ups. I want to go to Beacon more than anything in the world. Wait, now that I'm at Beacon, let me just complain about how much I want to go back home. We're all losers and should all share the blame, but also, this is all _your_ fault, Yang.' God, it's _infuriating_. When everything right, you're more than happy to nitpick every little mistake someone else makes like you have all the knowledge in the universe, but the second you get into trouble, you moan and hide behind others and ask for their help. I don't know why I thought that going to Beacon would change any of that."

"There it is!" Ruby shouted accusingly. "Don't bother actually looking at your own problems; just lie and blame things on everyone else while preaching personal responsibility. Always pretend that you're the honest one while acting like a kid."

"Will you just shut up already?" Yang screamed into the ceiling. "God, this is _exactly_ why I didn't want you on—"

Yang cut herself off, but it was too late. All of that resentment, most of it she didn't realize she had, had finally taken control of her, and in her fury, the words simply slipped out. It did not matter that she stopped the sentence before she said it. Everyone already knew precisely what she meant. Yang's Semblance faded, and her features softened, but Ruby's harshness did not let up.

"What were you going to say?" Ruby aske accusingly. Yang gulped, backing up until her heels connected to the bed post.

"Ruby, look—"

"Don't 'Ruby' me. Say it," her sister demanded. "It's not as if I don't already know. I'm not stupid, so you might as well decide to spit it out now instead of trying to hide it any longer."

Yang collapsed back onto her bunk with a heavy sigh, resting her arms upon her knees, slouching forward to let her messy hair disguise her features. By that point, Blake rolled onto her stomach, listening intently to every word, and Weiss was practically halfway out of the room.

"I… didn't want you on my team," Yang muttered breathlessly. "Is that what you want to hear?"

"Why did you lie to me? You didn't have to lie," Ruby said angrily, balling her hands into fists. "I've never kept anything secret from you, and you looked me right in my face and _lied_ to me. Do you have any idea how much that hurt?"

"What did you want me to say?" Yang asked regretfully. "You were a nervous wreck all week. You wouldn't stop worrying about getting on the same team as me, and no matter what I did to calm you down, you wouldn't listen. I couldn't just tell you to get lost."

"How long did you want me gone? Since yesterday? The day we came here?" Ruby asked, fighting back tears. "Did you always see me as a burden?"

"Ruby, it's not like that," Yang pleaded. "I did it for your own good. I just wanted you to get to know the other students better. I wanted to help you."

In the back of Yang's mind, a voice that was not her own told her she was lying.

"Do you think I'm just supposed to believe that after what you just said to me?" Ruby questioned. Yang groaned and picked up her chin.

"Look, it's… it's not _you_ , okay?"

"Then what is it?"

"It's… _us_. I don't know," Yang said halfheartedly. "Do you know how hard it was growing up with you sometimes? Watching you do so well in school, having to work really hard while everyone else talked about how successful you were going to be one day. You never got into any trouble, or hurt anyone's feelings, or did anything less than perfectly. I mean, no wonder you were dad's favorite."

"I wasn't—"

"Yeah, _you were_ ," Yang said forcefully. "When I got into Beacon, I thought that maybe it was finally my chance to break out and be my own person for once. I wouldn't have to wait for anyone else's approval. I could just, you know… be me. But then, you capture Roman Torchwick, and then you're the youngest person to ever get accepted to Beacon, and suddenly instead of getting a chance to fly on my own, I'm tied right back to you."

Ruby was left speechless, and as the tension in the room faded, she was left in a state of confusion. That was a lot to take in all at once. So many feelings bubbled to the surface, and she didn't know whether she needed to admonish her sister for her selfishness, or apologize for her own ignorance, or simply hug and pretend that a lifetime of pent-up antipathy hadn't just been unleashed in front of an audience they had barely known for a week. Of that audience, Weiss was the most visibly uncomfortable with the entire conversation. Perhaps the family drama had struck her a little too close to home, but she had been unusually silent and resistant to the idea of egging them on any further. Blake, on the other hand, closed her book and put it down beside her, and then hopped to her feet and stretched her legs. While the sisterly conflict was fascinating, she had more important duties elsewhere, and she couldn't afford to be distracted.

"Well, _that_ 's a whole mess of issues I don't want to deal with right now," she said casually. "If you two are done arguing, I should probably remind you that we have a fight to win tomorrow."

"Glad that you finally decided to contribute," Yang said sharply. "You know, it's just as much your fault that we lost, too. You're not helping anyone by hiding off in the corner and acting like we don't exist."

Blake shrugged, turning to leave the room. "What do you want me to say? That we should try harder? I miscalculated CRDL's strength, and it won't happen again. Not much to discuss."

Weiss, returning to her senses, interrupted. "Hold on there. Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going for a walk. I need to clear my head," Blake explained.

"Like hell you are. You heard Yang—it's your fault we're in this mess, and you need to stay here and help us figure out how to get out of it," Weiss said defiantly.

"You're not figuring out how to get out it. You're all arguing," Blake noted. "Honestly, I'm tired of arguing. We've done nothing but argue since one in the morning. I need some time alone."

"Because that's how you function best, right? Alone? No help required?" Yang asked bitterly.

"Pretty much," Blake said, taking one step out of the front entrance. She peered over her shoulder and pouted. "I'll be back in an hour. Tell me if you've decided to stop blaming each other by then."

She left without another word. Yang groaned and threw herself onto her bed, digging her nails into the sheets. Her partner was a nightmare, and she wondered whether or not she should have regretted picking her over Ruby. Ruby wanted to be around her, at least until the previous five minutes.

"God, what a bitch," Yang mumbled.

"I hate to admit it, but she does _somewhat_ have a point," Weiss said thoughtfully, leaning against a nearby bedpost. "Yelling at each other isn't going to stop us from getting expelled. We need to focus on what actually matters: taking out CRDL. That means figuring out what we need to do to hurt them."

"We know what we need to do; it's _how_ we do it's that's the problem," Yang stated. "We can't physically attack them with Cardin's Semblance, and the others stop us from even getting close to them. We can't punch them."

"We don't need to punch them," Weiss reasoned. "Assuming they use the same strategy tomorrow, which they have no reason not to, then all I need to do is get close enough to place a vector glyph under their feet. That will knock them out of bounds, and we'd win easily."

"Except that you already tried to get close to them earlier, and you failed," claimed Yang.

"I failed because Blake got in my way, and you two were either unconscious or too scared to move to provide support," Weiss said in protest. "If the four of us are actually able to coordinate an attack against them, I'd probably be able to get close enough to use the glyphs. It's really quite simple. Ruby and Blake can stay back and lay down suppressing fire with your rifles, and Yang, you rush around the opposite side attack them with your shotguns at a distance. They'll be so distracted that I'll be able to rush in from the other side and take them out. As long as you stay back and don't rush in like an idiot, it'll be an easy victory."

"Hold on a second. Why are you talking like you're suddenly the boss around here?"

"Well, Goodwitch suggested that we have a team leader," Weiss said with a small grin. "And I figure since I'm the one with the most formal training, _and_ since I was the only one here to be talented enough to be placed on the top-ranked team, I figure that it's only natural that I take up the position."

"Yeah, bullshit," Yang moaned. "Like we'd actually listen to anything you'd say."

"Do you think that _you're_ more qualified?" Weiss questioned vehemently. "You're too emotional in battle to actually lead us. Blake won't even stick around for the team meetings, and Ruby, well…" Weiss trailed off, motioning to Ruby and rolling her eyes. "The truth is, you need someone who can stay calm under high levels of stress. Someone with a military background to whip you into shape. Someone who actually _has_ a plan to succeed. Unless you two have any better ideas?"

The truth of the matter was, as much as Ruby hated to admit it, she didn't. She thought she had them, or at the very least the vague shapes and concepts, but her mind was stuck in a blur. Weiss's plan wasn't bad. In fact, it was something that actually had a decent chance of working. And, despite her hating to admit it, Weiss did perform the best out of them on the tests, and she as the only one who ended up on a team originally ranked higher than CRDL. She was bossy and precise, and though temperamental and an absolute pain, she was an Atlasian, and if there was one thing Atlas was better at than anyone else, it was strict, brutal, and effective leadership. Blake would hate it. Yang would follow grudgingly. But, at the moment, it was the best chance they had.

"Fine," Ruby said after a long pause. "I'll try it your way. Just once."

It was the only answer Weiss needed to hear. "Thank you, Ruby. Maybe I underestimated you after all."

"Just be careful," Ruby suggested. "CRDL are way stronger than us, and we don't have any more room for mistakes. If we mess up tomorrow, it's over."

"Don't worry. We'll show those boys who's boss. I'll make sure of it," Weiss said, brimming with confidence. "If Yang's onboard, we might as well start preparing now. No sense in getting sleep if we don't deserve it. We'll have to explain it to Blake when she gets back, but whatever. By tomorrow morning, we're going to be a well-oiled machine. Oh, and one last thing: Team RWBY? Strike that. From now on, we're going to refer to ourselves as Team Winterberry."

"Team… Winterberry?" asked Yang with visible confusion.

"W-B-R-Y. Winterberry, like the seasonal fruit of the Kingdom of Atlas," Weiss said dreamily. "It's a much less dirtier sounding name than RWBY, wouldn't you agree? I'll figure out a slogan later, but for now, let's focus on the more important details."

Weiss's pride was tangible. A team to call her very own, teetering on the brink of expulsion, and she alone had the power to bring them back to the height of glory. It was her final, greatest chance to prove herself. She had been unjustly stripped of her position at the top of the class, and the world had expected her to fail, but she was used to it. She had overcome them once before. The next day, when the buzzer sounded and she squared off with CRDL again, they would find a very different outcome. She would overcome, or she would fail.

That night, she prayed to the gods of the moon that she would be victorious. She would never truly find out if they answered.


	17. Second Chances

**Note: Hello again. It's time for Team WBRY's second chance. Let's hope they don't screw it up this time. Enjoy.**

* * *

 _Okay_ , Ruby thought to herself, _let's take stock of what we have to work with._

Weiss Schnee. Atlasian. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. Former member of the top-ranked team in the freshman class. Newly minted leader of Team WBRY, a name the woman had concocted herself. Status: confident, but heavily focused on the task at hand. She was ready to fight, regardless of how daunting the challenge would be. Her sole responsibility: save their team from expulsion for their acts in the Emerald Forest. Her strategy: heavy gunfire distraction followed by swift glyph-induced ring-out. Untested. Risky. Their only chance.

Blake Belladonna. Loner. Mysterious. Hometown: Prism, Mistral. Status: irritated.

Yang Xiao Long. Energetic. Boisterous. Easygoing. Usually. Status: not speaking with Ruby Rose.

Ruby Rose. Herself. Outmatched in every way, shape, and form. Status: filled with dread.

"Students, welcome to the second round of competition," Goodwitch announced excitedly over the loudspeaker. The room was the same as the day before, students buzzing and whispering amongst themselves high above in the bleachers, and Team CRDL standing on the opposite side of the arena, stretching and joking without a care in the world. Why would they be worried? After their previous encounter, they knew they had nothing to fear. Their defense was—hypothetically—impenetrable, and their offense was sturdy and resolved. As far as they knew, Team WBRY was incapable of penetrating them, and it was with that confidence that Cardin Winchester stepped forward, and called out across the room.

"Hey, Yang, only one more loss and then it's time for you to pay up," he said boastfully. "I hope I don't bruise you up too badly; that face is perfect as it is."

"Shut up," Yang mumbled under her breath. No more cockiness. No more banter. She was strictly business.

Weiss suddenly stepped forward, and pointed strikingly at the other team, smiling proudly. "Hey! You can no longer address members of our team in such a disrespectful manner anymore. If you have anything to say, you can say it to me."

"Wow, the Schnee decided to speak up," Cardin said mockingly. "Hey, didn't you used to be ranked above us? What happened? Did Ozpin realize how talentless you actually are?"

"Mock us all you want, fiend!" Weiss said with a laugh.

"Fiend?" Ruby whispered questioningly.

Blake rolled her eyes. "She is getting _way_ too into this."

"You may have taken us down the first time," Weiss continued, "but soon, the four of you will grovel at our feet, and beg for mercy by the wrath of our blades."

As Blake continued to internally wish for death, Ruby cautiously looked over to Yang, who stood by herself further apart from the rest, eyes fixed to her feet. She approached her sister, and carefully reached out a hand.

"Yang, are you okay?" Ruby asked gently. Her sister shrugged her off.

"It's nothing."

"Are you sure—"

"It's _nothing_ ," Yang growled. "Let's just get this over with."

Goodwitch's speech interrupted Ruby before she could say another word. "Teams, the rules remain the same as they were last time. Of course, Team Ten, if you fail again on this occasion, the four of you will be promptly expelled from Beacon Academy and sent back on the earliest transportation home. We expect you to perform at your absolute best. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Professor Goodwitch," Weiss spoke for them.

"Excellent. Then I believe there is no sense in waiting any longer. If all teams are ready, then we shall state our declarations, and prepare for battle. Team One, Declare yourselves."

As if on repeat, Cardin Winchester raised his mace to the sky, and said boldly, "Team CRDL: Strength in Numbers!"

"Team Ten, declare yourselves."

Weiss nodded at the skybox, and then took a very large step away from her teammates before giving a curtsey to her foes. "Team WBRY: Eloquent in our Strategies, Refined in our Technique, Honorable through our Forebearers, Dancing through Eternity like the Brilliant Twilight."

Goodwitch did not give the command to start the battle. She did not do anything for several long seconds except process Weiss's intricate, intelligent, and flawless vocabulary as the heiress knew she would.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that again?" Goodwitch asked incredulously into the microphone.

"Team WBRY: Eloquent in our Strategies—"

"No, no, don't literally repeat it," Goodwitch shook her head. "Team WBRY? _Winterberry_? Like the fruit?"

"Precisely," Weiss grinned.

"Why… I don't… why did you pick a name that was so… how do I say this?"

"Charming? Dazzling?"

"Incredibly stupid," Goodwitch finished. "And what in the world is with that motto?"

"You said it could be anything," Weiss said as she turned away from the skybox in disgust, heavily insulted by the professor's words.

"I mean, I know we said it could be literally anything," Goodwitch backtracked, "but that doesn't mean you make it… _that_."

"Look, we're workshopping it," Blake suddenly called out with a sneer.

Weiss turned around, aghast. "What? No, we're not!"

"WBRY is a fantastic name, and that's a fantastic motto," Weiss declared.

"It kind of sucks," Yang chimed in.

"Do you think you can do better?" Weiss asked accusingly. "I'd like to see you try to find a word that starts with a W and has a B, R, and Y in it!"

"Why does it need to start with a W?" asked Blake, confused.

"Because I'm the leader, so my initial goes first," Weiss stated matter-of-factly.

"That's a bullshit excuse," claimed Yang. "That cuts off so many options, like… I don't know, what about Team Homebrew? Y-B-R-W?"

"How do you get the Y in there?" Weiss asked.

"I don't know. It's silent or something. Or what if we just call ourselves Team Firebomb. Screw the four-letter naming convention altogether. Why not? Who cares?"

As the four endlessly bickered, from up within the skybox, Professor Goodwitch watched the entirety of their conversation unfold, and took a very long, deep sigh. She turned to Professor Ozpin, who had taken a seat next to her, saying absolutely nothing at all, watching with a solid, emotionless stare.

"They seem to be putting far too much effort on this, aren't they?" she asked.

"Yes, they are," he nodded efficiently. She paused for a moment.

"They're definitely going to get expelled, aren't they?"

"Looks like it."

Goodwitch returned to the microphone. "Okay, Team RWBY, or WBRY, or whatever it is your called, I think we get the point. The battle will begin in thirty seconds. Get ready."

With the pressure on, Weiss brushed aside the nonsensical complaints and called the team in for a brief meeting. They huddled together reluctantly, as she began what they thought was supposed to be a pep talk.

"Okay, girls, this is it," she said with certainty. "Now's the time where we can show them all what we're made of. You're all familiar with the plan, right?"

"We rehearsed it seventy times yesterday," Yang groaned. "We've got it."

"And if it fails?" Ruby asked, concerned.

"It won't," Weiss insisted. "CRDL isn't going to move unless we get close enough for them to counterattack. As long as none us get taken out, we can keep trying for an opening, so we have to be patient. It's a marathon, not a sprint."

"Whatever you say, princess," muttered Yang. Weiss pretended she did not hear that, and disbanded the group with a solitary nod, motioning for Yang to come along with her. They took their desired positions at the front of their battalion, while Ruby carefully transformed her scythe into its ranged form and checked her ammunition. From across the room, she could see CRDL take up the same formation as they day before, standing with their backs at the edge of the arena, and felt her stomach turn.

Weiss's plan wasn't complete garbage. That probably was not a very kind assessment, but she at least agreed with Weiss on a few specific points. For what it was worth, the Atlasian was a patient fighter, and Ruby knew that rushing in blindly would be a useful endeavor. Weiss was also aware of the fact that CRDL either lacked proper long-ranged weaponry or seemed unwilling to use it in favor of their current strategy, so weakening their defenses from afar was the most basic way to go. Ruby, however, had two major concerns. The first was whether or not they could poke enough holes in CRDL's defense to deliver Weiss's final blow before they ran out of ammo. The second was whether or not CRDL would actually feel like sticking to their previous strategy at all. It was possible, if not likely, that the boys were still getting used to strategizing and working together as a team, and so they would not be willing to abandon the technique that had just brought them a devastating victory. On the other hand, CRDL had to have known that the girls would try to adapt and overcome it and if they could do something to catch them offguard—

"Let the fight begin!"

Without a moment's hesitation, CRDL split down the middle, and Sky lunged to the front to unleash an ear-piercing wail, and the four clasped their hands to their ears in pain. They were too far away to face the brunt of the impact, but the force was enough to slowly push them backward, and it made concentrating on their goals impossible. Ruby fought her way through it only to notice that Dove had stepped forward, crafting something with the energy from his palms. The mass took shape until a sniper rifle, no less similar than hers, appeared in his hands, and he took aim at the biggest target on the field: her sister, who was still wincing as she held her arms up to her ears, her eyes shut. Easy prey. Sky closed his jaws and stepped backward into reformed mass, and in the developing silence, Dove took his shot at the unsuspecting enemy.

Yang barely knew what hit her. Her eyes were still shut when the vibrations ceased and she felt something barrel into her, not from the front, but from the side, as a much smaller girl slammed into her, taking her off her feet. She tried to recover, but the girl pressed her face down as a glowing sniper bullet sailed over her head.

"Are you hurt?" Yang heard Ruby asked worriedly, but she pushed her aside.

"I'm fine," she moaned. "I don't need your help." She recovered enough to see Dove reloading, and threw up her gauntlets for defense, though they were unneeded. Before the bullet could strike, a fifteen-foot ice wall carved its way between the ground between the teams, and Weiss screamed at them, her rapier plunged into the ground.

"Focus, you two!" she demanded. "We're in the middle of a fight!"

Yang grunted and pulled away further. The command was pointless. Something else had consumed her, and Ruby knew she was already a liability. She could hardly say anything to the matter before she was pulled back into the fray by the sight of a grappling hook flying over her head and sticking into the ice wall, and Blake lunging over her to dash up the structure. She rolled over the top and landed on her side, ripping her weapon from the ice and aiming it off the edge in one swift motion. Her body pressed tightly to the cold and her head cocked slightly, she fired off pot shots at CRDL, each rubber bullet bouncing off their individual weapons with a ping. Ruby looked up at her, and with sudden inspiration, leaned around the corner, peering just far enough outside the barrier to begin shooting at their hands. Blake was onto something, she reasoned. Attempting to shoot through their armor was pointless. Knocking the weapons out of their grasp, however, was entirely feasible. Unfortunately, Blake's weapon was far less accurate, and Ruby quickly discovered that her partner's shots were only reflecting off the hilts and blades of the weapons rather than her opponents' knuckles, and because of that, CRDL was mostly able to deflect them without much worry.

It didn't help that Yang charged past her either, heading for the right flank and firing wildly with her shotgun gauntlets, her Semblance fully powered. She sprinted across the whole arena despite the warnings from the others, moving further and further away from where she was meant to be by Weiss's side. The slightest blow had sent her into a rage and she fired off every attack with an unbridled fury directly at the CRDL's leader. He shrugged off every attack with bursts from his Semblance and grinned.

"Come on, Yang, you can do better than that," he teased.

"Why won't you just shut the hell up?" she cried. She took another step closer, but the formation broke apart, and one blinding flash of light later, a steel mace connected to her side, and she was knocked again to the floor. Even through the filter of her Aura, she thought the blow shattered a rib. Cardin stood over her confidently, her teammates too distant to do anything but watch.

What was wrong with her? Yang couldn't even think straight. There was just so much anger inside of her, and she had not the slightest idea where it came from, or who it was even directed towards. CRDL? Ruby? Beacon? Her dad? Did it matter? There was an itch in the back of her mind, and it kept growing with every punch, every shotgun shell dropped haphazardly on the floor, every time that boy grinned at her with those perfect white teeth. Weiss told her not to get too close, not to rush in blindly without a plan, and yet, something led her there anyway, and that itch was clawing at her instead of the other way around, scratching the peaks of her brain and telling her to push forward even more, to strike out at Cardin's heart, his leg, his spine, to tear them out and beat the hell out of him until he never dared to leer at her again. She wanted to take him down, even if it meant losing the battle, and forcing her team out of the school, and crushing Ruby's dreams in the process. And maybe it was only just then, as Cardin reared back for another attack, that she realized there was something very wrong with her.

Weiss, on the other hand, realized she had an opening. The boys had drawn their attention to Yang, and just for a second, not a single one of them happened to be gazing in her direction. It was her moment. With a path of glyphs rapidly forming in front of her, the leader of Team WBRY sprinted towards them, carving a path alongside the edge of the arena and cutting quickly through the center. With victory in her sight, she sprung forward from the ground, pivoting as she dug her heels into the ground. Russel had failed to cover his flank, and he only noticed Weiss when she jammed the point of her rapier at his feet, and a large, black glyph suddenly appeared underneath them. She smiled wickedly, and her grip tightened further, feeling her pride swell. Somehow, through Yang's foolishness, she had broken through, exactly like she said she would. From the bleachers, she knew that her former teammates were watching her, and she wondered if they felt pride for her in that instant. For once, inside of that miserable school, she was able to deliver on something, and she didn't even need the help of that damned loner, or the terrorist's daughter, or even the worthless hotshot. She—Weiss Schnee—did it on her own.

"Dove, vector! Beneath us!"

He barely got the words out before the team was suddenly and forcefully flung back towards the edge, but it was quick enough. With whatever sense he had left, Dove Bronzewing clasped his hands together, and a large wall of energy emerged behind them. They crashed into the wall violently, but recovered and landed on their feet, still inside the boundaries. Weiss's smile barely had time to fade before Cardin lunged forward and punched her in the face with all his strength.

She did not deflect the blow, and she produced no Aura to stop it. It simply hit her squarely in the nose, and a second later, she was sprawled out on the floor, unconscious.

"Weiss Schnee has been eliminated."

It all fell apart from there. In the panic, Yang gained enough of her reason back to retreat back to the others, but she was lost. Blake descended from the wall of ice with a grimace, and she and Ruby ran to meet her halfway across the field. Ruby's mind was racing faster than her heart. It had failed. Of course, it did. Why should she have expected anything else?

"Guys, what's the plan?" Yang asked breathlessly, taking up a position beside them. CRDL had started to recover and were slowly advancing forward. Weiss's attack had frightened them away from the edge momentarily, but it wasn't like it mattered. Together, they were still impenetrable.

"What the hell is wrong with her?" Blake muttered angrily. "Weiss could have waited longer. After giving that whole speech about not rushing in…"

"Guys? Plan?" Yang asked more frantically.

Ruby bowed her head in shame. She didn't know what to do. She could almost always think of something to get her out of a tight spot, but for some reason, her mind was drawing a blank. The pressure had gotten to her, and maybe it was the truth sinking in of just how out of their depth they truly were. There were still three of them sanding, but she knew that they didn't stand a chance in hand-to-hand combat against them.

"Come on, girls," Cardin shouted out arrogantly. "Don't tell me that you're just going to surrender again?"

She was, wasn't she? Ruby could already feel herself freezing up again, only she no longer had any excuse for holding back. There were no more second chances, no other fights to redeem herself through, and nowhere left to go. She was in her final moments at Beacon Academy, and she could do nothing. Like a coward.

"Blake, do you have any ideas?" Yang asked desperately.

"We need to keep up the offensive. We can't afford to break up," Blake stated, but the details were scarce. What type of offensive? How? When?

"We are so fucked," Yang groaned. She was right. Ruby's plans were fading fast, and her mm's legacy was dying with it. There was nothing they could do to stop it.

No. She could do something.

"So, we go at them with everything we got," Ruby said suddenly, drawing the attention of the others.

"You want to rush them?" Yang asked. "Seriously, after all this?"

"Not one-by-one. All at once," Ruby said. The pieces were starting to form together in her mind, but they weren't quite yet there. She could only see the vaguest shapes, but it was all she had to work with. "They moved away from the edge, so they lost their terrain advantage. If we can surround them, we have more chances of breaking through their defense."

"And we do that how?" Yang asked.

"I'll charge from the front. When they're distracted, you go over and around," Ruby explained. "They haven't seen me fight yet, and I doubt they paid attention during any of my tests, so I'm the one they know the least about. It's the best chance to catch them off guard with an attack."

"And then?"

"I don't know. I haven't gotten that far," Ruby admitted.

"Ruby, they'll tear right through you," Blake said reasonably.

"It's not like we're going to win anyway," Ruby said grimly. "If I'm going down, I want to go down fighting with everything I have left. That's what Huntresses do, right?" She glanced at Yang, and for a moment, their eyes locked, and they understood each other more deeply than they had their own lives. Blake watched them from the side, focused and contemplative. Neither of them verbally agreed to the plan, but all the necessary things had already been said. With nothing else between the three of them, Ruby stepped forward, and shouted as far as her voice could carry, "Hey, Cardin! Why don't you stop hiding behind your team and fight like a _man_?"

That was all it took, and she was off. Like a bullet, she sped across the arena, quickly closing the distance between them. Cardin reacted exactly like she wanted, throwing himself in front of the others, and bringing his mace back for a crucial physical blow. Qrow's words flooded through her head, and she drew back her weapon as well. Her momentum would carry her strike. She would turn with the blade, and power through the enemy.

Reflecting back on that day, Ruby was not sure quite what she expected to happen. She certainly was not expecting to come out on top, and despite her confidant and brazen words, she knew the battle was going to end in her defeat. She knew that even if she blocked Cardin's attack, the force would have stopped her dead in her tracks, and he would have been able to counterattack long before she could recover from the stop. In her fury, she moved a bit too fast for her partners, and she had to have known that she did not give them enough of an opening to surround the others. She had thrown herself at the enemy with barely more of a plan than Weiss, and the heiress's unconscious body said all Ruby needed to know. Yet, she charged forward, preparing for her end at Beacon to be a noble one, and as she swung her scythe around and Cardin swung his mace in unison, she let out a heartbroken battle cry, a scream carrying every emotion she ever poured into crafting the one weapon that would lead her to her doom.

And their weapons collided in the air, and upon impact, without any warning at all, Cardin's mace exploded.

The weapon split so cleanly in two that Ruby thought the cut must have been natural. The head separated from the body, and both flew out of his strong grip, stunning the both of them into stillness. Their eyes became transfixed on the broken steel. Ruby was unable to process what had just happened, but Cardin did not care, turning around to his team and stripping Dove of his sword to the other's shock and grievance. He swung again more viciously, and Ruby, incapable of dodging, held up her scythe to deflect it. The result was very much the same as the sword splintered as well, breaking into its blade and hilt, falling to the floor uselessly.

That wasn't right.

CRDL barely had time to react before Blake and Yang dove on top of them, seizing the moment. With two solid impacts, the rest of their weapons shattered as well, and by the time the girls hit the ground, all four boys had been stripped of their tools, confused and not knowing what to do next with their broken equipment. Yang only just noticed the strangeness of it all, and even she let down her defenses, while Blake simply panted and prepared her sword for any further combat. CRDL was not interested, however, and Ruby stared down at Crescent Rose, knowing full well that the staff wasn't sturdy enough to break metal so easily.

That wasn't right.

"Wait, students!" Goodwitch's voice suddenly called out from over the loudspeaker. "Stop what you're doing right this instant."

"Hey, Professor, what the hell are we supposed to do?" Cardin shouted at the sky.

"Hold on! We're working on it," Goodwitch declared hurriedly. The skybox went silent, as the murmurs of the other students became more and more apparent. The professors said nothing at all, almost as if they were checking a very long and complicated rulebook, and it allowed the students to stir and their imaginations to run unchecked. All of CRDL's weapons? All at once? The air became sour, and Ruby noticed a gradual unease filling the arena, as the boys stared helplessly at their useless swords and maces, and the girls stared at anything else, not knowing what was about to happen next.

"Um… due to Team One's weapons having malfunctioned… all at once," Goodwitch stated, audibly confused, "it seems that they will be unable to complete the rest of the challenge. Therefore, by means of technicality… Team Ten wins the match."

That wasn't right. That wasn't right at all.


	18. Four Girls Who Hate Each Other

**Note: Dialogue heavy chapter. This is probably where some of the biggest changes to the original Volume I come into play. Also, this was the most fun chapter to write in a while, so enjoy.**

* * *

The barracks were chaotic. The four girls sat on their respective bunks as Yang and Ruby repeatedly tossed out theories trying to explain what the hell had actually happened during that last battle. More accurately, Ruby tossed out theories trying to explain what the hell had actually happened during the last battle, while Yang was more intent on ranting about how insane the entire ordeal was. Blake was resting against one of the bedposts, and Weiss remained strangely silent as she sat on her bed crossed legged, keeping herself out of the fray, sporting a prominent black eye.

"It's just… how does that even work?" Ruby asked no one in particular. "There's no way their weapons should have shattered like that. Right?"

"I don't know," said Yang. "Maybe it was a maintenance issue?"

"Maintenance?"

"Yeah. I mean, we always repair and polish our weapons and stuff," Yang explained. "I guess they could break if they never bothered to keep them in good shape."

"Cardin's mace was made of titanium!" Ruby exclaimed. "How much upkeep do you need to perform on titanium? It's not even like it transforms into anything or has any extra parts, so how did it break?"

"Well, does it matter?" Blake chimed in.

"Of course, it matters," Ruby chastised her. "Why wouldn't it?"

"Because we won, that's why. We should probably be focusing on tomorrow's fight."

"And how are supposed to do that?" questioned Yang. "We shouldn't even be here right now. They were going to beat us, weren't they? I mean, Ruby's plan—" she cut herself off, but Ruby continued.

"Don't. I didn't think far enough ahead back there. If their weapons held up, it probably would have taken longer, but they would have overpowered us. The fact is that we don't have a clear strategy to beat CRDL yet, and I doubt we're going to get lucky a second time."

The instant the words left her mouth, Ruby noticed a shift in Blake's posture, and a slight twitch in her nose. Her stoic expression remained, but it was off, forced as if she was holding something back. Then, Ruby remembered the battle, the ice wall, and Blake's spontaneous and fruitless efforts.

"Wait, are you thinking about…" Ruby paused, trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind Blake's eyes. Her mind only wandered o one possibility: nonrecognition.

"What are you talking about?" asked Yang. Blake wriggled around uncomfortably, and for a moment, Ruby considered whether or not she should have said anything. It was, in a word, awkward. Blake never seemed like the type to want appreciation for anything. It was the clear impression one would receive from a person who spent most of their time hanging out in the shadows. But the unease was palpable, and Blake was the only member of her team who didn't resent her at the moment, so breaking through her resolve was crucial.

"During the match, Blake came up with a plan to defeat CRDL," Ruby explained. Blake glanced away at the ceiling. "And I think she's upset that we haven't given her any approval for it."

"What are you—"

"I mean, subconsciously, that is," Ruby said hurriedly. "I know you don't want to say anything about it because it messes with your image."

"Ruby, I would shut your mouth if I was you," Blake grimaced, which only encouraged Ruby further. The loner was finally calling out to her. She wasn't sure what had done it, whether it was her speech during the fight or something else entirely, but Ruby was taking advantage of whatever she could to bring them together.

"Hold on, what plan was this?" Yang asked, shaking her head.

"During the fight, Blake started taking pot shots at their weapons," Ruby explained to her sister, much to Blake's annoyance. "At first, I thought she was just firing randomly at them like Weiss wanted to, but I'm pretty sure she was actually trying to disarm them from a distance. She was just missing shots because of her gun's inaccuracy. I'm not sure if it would have worked in the long-term; we would have had to keep up our attack to prevent them from recuperating and I don't know if we could have done that from that range. But, Blake had an idea that she went for without telling any of us, and she's trying to hide us because she feels like she can do it without us."

"You really don't understand anything, do you?" Blake growled.

"I do understand," Ruby insisted, placing her hands over her heart. "You don't like people, and you really don't like being on a team with us. You feel like it's our fault that we got into this mess, and you want to get out of it on your own to prove you don't need us. Something happened in your past that made you distrustful, and that's why you always run off, and why you never tell us anything. You act like it's because you know more than us, but really, you actually want someone to be there for you because you're lonely and scared and trapped in a kingdom that wants nothing to do with you. But you don't have to keep anything a secret anymore. We're here to support you, and if you have a plan to beat CRDL and stop us from getting expelled, we want to hear it."

It was a brilliant psychoanalysis. Ruby could tell it was successful from the sheer irritation on Blake's face. The shadow girl rolled her eyes and spoke in harsh, notably angry tones.

"Do you really want me to tell you the truth about what happened?" Blake asked with a furious glare. Ruby did not back down.

"Yes. Please."

"Fine." Blake moved swiftly across the room, storming to Ruby's position with a fierceness that almost made the younger girl jump away in fear. Blake stopped two feet in front of her face, and reached down to her feet, digging her fingers into her boots. Within seconds, she pulled out a sharp, four-inch dagger—one that none of her team members were even aware existed—with an exasperated grunt, stabbed the metal deep into the mattress directly next to Ruby's thigh, glaring at her while the small Huntress-in-training gasped. Blake leaned in close, and in a soft yet forceful voice, whispered, "I _didn't_ miss."

Blake walked calmly back to her post, leaving the knife embedded into the mattress. At first, Ruby did not understand. But then, her eyes drifted to the knife, and she studied it, and it became clear. An irregular blade. Slightly long hilt. Rounder shape of the blade. Its edges: non-metal. Not entirely. A heating system had been installed into the hilt. The steel was bright red along the edges, not just cutting through the mattress, but burning holes into the foam, singeing it. Turned off, it was powerless, but activated, it could cut and destabilize anything. Mattresses. Walls. Titanium. A gentle walk away from the team while they were arguing. Bullets bouncing off each of CRDL's weapons. No hesitation after the first weapon shattered. Blake returned to her spot and crossed her arms as she leaned against the bed for support, and Ruby's eyes went wide, as she realized she was staring at the weapon that had just saved them from expulsion.

"You… you sabotaged their weapons," Ruby muttered in disbelief.

"No shit," Blake said firmly.

"You've got to be kidding me," Yang stated, having listened intently to the entire back-and-forth. " _You're_ the reason why we ended up winning today?"

"You didn't seriously think all of their weapons would just simultaneously explode, did you?" Blake asked insultingly. "We're not _that_ lucky, Yang."

"But when? How?" Yang asked, stunned beyond sentences.

"Yesterday, when you two were throwing your little hissy fit," Blake said with a shrug. "I figured since you were too busy getting out years' worth of hostility at each other to actually come up with a plan to save our asses, I would do it myself. I figured that CRDL would probably spend the afternoon drinking and be partying around town, and they would most likely be too stupid to leave their stuff unguarded, so I just went right to their room and did it there. Thankfully, they were also too stupid to lock their door."

"They left their door unlocked?"

"They might as well have," Blake reasoned. "It wasn't hard. A few deep cuts just underneath the blades to weaken their structure. Their weapons were still dirty during the first match, so I knew the boys didn't bother checking or cleaning any of their shit. If they fell apart before the match started or too early into it, Goodwitch would have found out, so I damaged them _just_ enough to where a few well-placed shots would practically break them. One hard impact later, and done. Honestly, I wasn't expecting that to count as an instant victory, but I'll take it if it means those assholes won't kick us out of this damn school."

"That's why you were so calm when CRDL rushed us," Ruby realized. "You knew that we had already won."

"Pretty much," Blake moaned. "Anytime you want to thank me, feel free to do."

"So, you cheated."

It was only a matter of time before Weiss opened her mouth. And yet, when the eyes of the room were drawn to her, it was strange that her face didn't bear any smugness of hostility, and her voice was not demeaning but downtrodden, empty as if carrying words that were painful to speak. Her icy blue gaze was fixed on Blake, and though her gaze was stern, it was hollow.

"Well, look who finally joined the conversation," Blake sneered. "I'm glad the _team leader_ finally decided to contribute."

"You never even thought about trying to put up a fair fight, did you?" Weiss asked cruelly.

"Fighting fair didn't get us anywhere the first time, and it almost got us expelled today," Blake said confidently. "I didn't come to this school to get kicked out because I was too busy playing to some vague concept of honor to actually win."

"You didn't _win_ ," Weiss stated. "You cheated."

"Maybe I misheard it when Goodwitch announced us as the winners of the match, then. Not like you would be aware of though, would you?"

"There's no point in winning if we have to cheat in order to do it. We're here to learn how to become Huntresses, not how to take shortcuts."

"You're really transfixed on this whole 'fairness' thing," Blake said condescendingly. "Guess what? In the real world, it doesn't matter if you fight fair. The people in power don't fight fair. They got there by murdering and enslaving and betraying _everyone_ who got in their way. Maybe if you took a peek at your own Kingdom's history, you would understand that."

"This isn't the real world," Weiss explained thoroughly. "This is just Beacon, and in this school, whether you like it or not, we're given a fair match, and we have to play by the rules."

"Are you sure about that?" Blake questioned, frustrated. "Do _any_ of you seriously believe that Ozpin gave us a fair fight? They took four kids who barely know each other who had just been injured and traumatized fighting a giant monster, and they throw us against the best team in the school with zero warning, zero time to recover, and zero ability to get along. Wake up. They _wanted_ us to lose. We saw something in the Emerald Forest they didn't want us to see, and now the only way they can cover it up is to get rid of the only people who could possibly expose it. This isn't fair; as far as I'm concerned, I'm just leveling the playing field."

"Or maybe," Weiss suggested, "you're just too scared to admit that you aren't good enough to beat them."

"I'm better than you, at least," Blake said, approaching Weiss and bending over her, examining the Atlasian with narrow eyes. "All of that pride, all of that arrogance, and what did it get you? One punch and you were knocked out cold. What a hero. Maybe this is less about _me_ not being good enough, and more about you being more worthless than you're letting on."

"This has nothing to do with me," Weiss said quietly.

"Then let's make it about you," Blake hissed. "Something's off about you. I didn't notice it before, but ever since that fight with the Grimm, I've been realizing something. You're not fighting correctly. No one even decently trained in Aura would get knocked out by a single punch. The first thing they teach you is how to use it absorb physical blows, and since you were knocked out, that means you weren't keeping the Aura pulsing through your skin. And, since that eye is looking pretty rough, it means you aren't applying and Aura to it right now, either. Plus, when we slammed into each other yesterday, you didn't bother using your Semblance even when I called for you to do it. It's like you don't even know the basics of Huntress training. What's wrong? Are you just stupid?"

"I'm _not_ stupid," Weiss grunted.

"Do they not bother teaching you how to use an Aura up in Atlas?"

"Of course, they do."

"Then what the hell is wrong with you. Spit it out." Blake leaned in closer, enough to see the sweat glistening off Weiss's forehead. The ice queen refused to meet her eyes, focusing on the floor in front of her, hands trembling ever so slightly. She was hiding something. Poorly. Blake was almost onto it. The truth was at the back of her mind, drifting slowly to the forefront, as she studied the Atlasian, and racked her brain for that piece of knowledge, discovered in old textbooks and buried for safekeeping. She was close. Closer. Almost there.

Then, with a gleam in her eye, Blake Belladonna, for the very first time since coming to Beacon Academy, actually cracked a smile.

"Wait… no way," Blake said with murderous glee, backing away from Weiss. She placed a hand to her lips, and a delighted snicker escaped her. "No fucking way. You, of all the people in the world… oh, my god, this is perfect. This is just too fucking _good_."

As Blake began to lose herself in delight, Ruby raised a very concerned hand. "Uh, Blake, what is it?"

"Do you want to tell them, or should I?" Blake asked without kindness, before continuing to talk and laugh to herself. "I can't believe it. A Schnee, an actual goddamn _Schnee_ has it…"

"Has what? Weiss?" Ruby asked worriedly. Weiss said nothing. Sensing whatever nightmare was headed her way, she merely stood up from her bed, and walked to the far wall, turning her back to the rest of them in shame.

"Ruby, Yang… she has _Soul Lapse_ ," Blake explained excitedly.

"Soul… what?" asked Yang.

"Soul Lapse," repeated Blake. "Technically, it's called animanecrosis, but everyone calls it the Soul Lapse. It's this super old uncurable genetic condition that faded out of existence a few hundred years ago. Apparently, it's supposed to be dead, but for the past few years, more and more cases of it have been popping up in Atlas. It's probably why you've never heard of it. Usually, when a person is born, they form a connection to their Soul, which lets them activate their energy in the form of Aura. People who strengthen the connection can access their Semblance and usually become Huntsmen, but everyone has at least some connection. But when you're born with Soul Lapse—"

"That connection doesn't exist," Weiss said suddenly, her voice grave. She gently raised a hand and pressed it against the stone wall, feeling its chill run through her palm. She looked offhandedly at her fingernails, perfect and pristine, plastered on top of the ruined surface underneath. "No matter what I do, or how hard I try… I can't feel anything. I can't use my Aura. I can't use my Semblance. Nothing. I'm just… broken."

Ruby hadn't noticed herself reaching out to Weiss, but she quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled it back. Soul Lapse? A loss of connection to the Soul? It all sounded so foreign to her that she didn't know what to make of it. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like without her Aura. She had so many questions, but it was Yang who spoke before her.

"Hold on a second. We've seen you use your Semblance plenty of times. So how does that make any sense?"

Weiss groaned and gestured to the back of the room. "Myrtenaster. The button underneath the hilt, opposite the trigger. Be careful with it."

Yang inquisitively peered at Weiss's weapon case, and made her way to it, gently opening the leather and grabbing the beautiful sword in her oversized hand. Under any other circumstances, Weiss would kill her, but just for once, it was allowed. Her thumb moved along the ridged metal as instructed until she found it, smaller than the size of her fingernail, hidden against the elaborate revolving chamber. She aimed the weapon at an empty gap on the floor and leaned away as she gently pushed inward with the tip of her finger. Immediately, the weapon worked its magic, and a brilliant red glyph roared to life, reflecting the light off her pale skin. Yang only held it for a minute before returning the sword to its case, but she was left stunned, amazed at the deception in her own memories.

"Atlasian technology is incredible, isn't it?" Weiss muttered distastefully.

"So, that's the trick, huh?" asked Blake. "Everything about you—your clothes, your heart, your Semblance—it's all just artificial, isn't it?"

"Don't act like you know me. You don't have any idea what I've had to go through in my life," Weiss said somberly. Her fingers drifted to the deep scar on her eye, and she winced as the pain returned to her.

"It doesn't matter what shitty things happened in the past," Blake stated. "I care about what's happening now, and right now, I know that you aren't cut out for this."

"You're right," Weiss said earnestly. She turned to face Blake, stricken with determination. "I failed us as a team leader. You might have failed to follow the plan correctly, but it was flawed from the start, and even if you did everything I wanted you to, CRDL still would have knocked me out before I had the chance to finish them. I got carried away with my own stupid ego, and I will take full responsibility. But you know what? I'm going to pick myself off the floor, and put the effort in, and push myself to become strong enough to beat them without ever taking shortcuts. Everything about me may be fake to you, but _that_ , Blake, is very real."

Blake rolled her eyes. "Well, that's all well and good, but your determination is kind of pointless if we still can't beat them in a clean fight."

"What do you want to do, then?" asked Yang reluctantly. "More sabotage?"

"Not the same, obviously, but yeah," claimed Blake. "CRDL's going to spend all day fixing their weapons and reinforcing them. While they do that, I can sneak back into their room and mess with their armor. If we all work together and concentrate on a single point—"

"No!" Ruby said sternly, silencing the room. "We… we can't do that. There's no way that Ozpin is going to get fooled a second time. If something goes wrong again, they'll catch on and get us expelled for sure."

"And so, you want us to just throw ourselves at them? Again? They'll slaughter us," Blake said knowledgeably. "This isn't just a Grimm we can get lucky with and scare away. They're the best team in the class, specifically picked to make sure we fail. There isn't any way we can beat them by staying within the damn rules."

"Then we bend the rules," Ruby stated, rising to her feet, "but we don't break them. Think about the tests that they gave us. We've been trying to go after CRDL by charging right through them when we should be thinking about reinterpreting the problem and going around them. The people who got the highest scores were the ones who thought outside the box, so let's stop talking about their strengths, and let's figure out how to use those strengths against them."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Blake said doubtingly. Ruby bowed her head, sheepishly tapping her fingers together.

"I… have a plan to take down CRDL."

" _Another_ plan?" Blake asked suspiciously.

"Look," Ruby stuttered, "CRDL's biggest advantage is their defense. They place themselves backs against the wall in a group so that they can lock themselves in one location and deflect everything we throw at them. They do it because they know that one-on-one, we have the upper hand, so they only ever move forward when they feel like we're off of our game or about to lose. The whole reason they succeed is that they make it impossible to exploit their weakness while highlighting what they're good at, and the whole reason we keep failing is that our strategies don't take any advantage of what we're actually good at."

She placed her hand on her chest and talked fast and logically. "I can move faster than they can see, but I've never gotten the chance to do that because of how I'm positioned. I know I also have a sniper rifle, but honestly, my scythe is only really good when I'm moving, so there isn't any reason why we should design a plan around me standing still. Yang, you have to balance yourself more. You're too powerful to stay back and be used as simple bait, but you can't charge ahead without any of us behind you, even if you're strongest when you're up-close. You're a tank, the base that our entire formation should hover around. You press the enemy back and keep the focus in one place, and we can support you from the sides. Same for you, Weiss. You are _far_ too vulnerable to be charging at anyone, especially if you can't defend yourself with Aura. With those glyphs, you need to stay in the back and keep us supported with vectors and ice walls and fire and whatever else you can think of, and anything you can use to increase our mobility or hit them from afar. I know you don't want to hear this, but you aren't the star here, and you can only be at your strongest when you stay out of range and out of the way. And Blake, I understand that you have more experience than us, but that doesn't mean you should go picking fights with people either. Your Semblance and your grappling hook let you hide and move, so you should strike quickly from where they aren't looking and leave them open for Yang to deliver the more powerful blows. Your versatile if we need you, but it's better if you stay in the second wave instead of the first. All of this time, we've been acting like four kids driven by emotion instead of one unit with a single goal that makes the best use of the weapons and Semblances we have. If CRDL's entire thing is based around their defense, then we need to focus ourselves on an offense… a sustained, overwhelming offense. Every one of our strategies should be focused on getting to the enemy, hitting them hard, hitting them fast, and hitting them from every which way conceivable."

Ruby stamped her foot into the ground, and briefly locked eyes with each of the girls in the room, who stared at her awestruck. "I get that we have a lot of problems. I get that we're pretty much four girls who hate each other. Hell, I'm pretty sure we've spent more time arguing in this school than we have actually spent learning anything. But I'm also sure that not a single one of us came all the way here, trained for all of our lives and struggled through all this nonsense, just to get expelled because we couldn't get our damn act together. We are the only things holding ourselves back from becoming Huntresses, and there is not a chance in the world that I'm letting it go now. I know putting all of your trust in a fifteen-year-old girl is beyond dumb, but it's the only chance we have to stay in Beacon, so _please_ , let me do this. Just this once."

Silence. Painfully long, contemplative silence. Ruby panted, not having even realized she was drawing short of breath. She felt as if her heart had just been poured out, and her throat ached, but there was nothing else she could say. Thankfully, after nearly a minute of nothingness, a kind voice from across the floor spoke for her.

"I'll do it," said Yang suddenly.

"You… you trust me?" Ruby asked in disbelief, her eyes watering.

"I mean, you _were_ always the smart one," Yang reasoned. She grinned softly. "Besides, you're my little sister. I'm legally forced to trust you." Ruby's heart fluttered for a moment, and then in one swift motion, she lunged across the room and jumped into her sister's arm, holding her tightly.

"I'm sorry… about everything I said," Ruby whispered. Yang gently combed her finger's through her sister's hair.

"Hey, all's forgiven as long as you can help me win this bet with Cardin," Yang teased. They were both well aware that the cavern had grown between them, and it would not be closed so easily. But for the first time since the night before, it felt like building a bridge may have been possible. Ruby was broken away from the hug when she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Blake staring indignantly at her.

"You know that if you fuck this up, I'm going to kill you, right?" Blake said knowingly.

Ruby chuckled, wiping away tears. "I guess I'll just have to try even harder, then."

"God, you're pathetic," Blake said with a faint grin. "I can't believe I'm going to take orders from you."

Ruby grinned with the shadow girl but looked past her and hurried back to her feet. Weiss was motionless, staring off to the side, her arms crossed, and her brow furrowed. Ruby nervously walked towards her. She struggled to find the words to say, allowing them to tumble out of her mouth as they came to her.

"Weiss, I know that you hate me. I get that. That's fine. Doing anything I ask you is probably like pulling teeth. But… I don't want to go back home yet. No matter how much I've talked about not liking it here, I really, _really_ don't want to leave yet. And I know that despite you talking about how much you hate it here, I know that you want to go leave either. The fact of the matter is, no matter how much we've fought in the past, I can't beat CRDL without you." She extended her hand, a solitary sign of peace. "Let's put aside our emotions for tomorrow, and stay here together. Are you with me?"

Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, took a single, long look at Ruby's trembling hand, and sighed heavily. "When they sent me to this school, I made a promise to myself that I would never be seen as worthless ever again. When I tried to fight the Grimm, I failed. When I tried to take the lead against CRDL, I failed. Ever since I was born, I've been failing, and honestly… I am _terrified_ of what will happen if I fail again." Their eyes locked, bruised and broken, and Weiss spoke punctually. "This doesn't make you the team leader."

"I don't _care_ about being the team leader. I don't even care if we have a team leader," Ruby admitted. "I just want to win this fight. Together. What do you say?"

Weiss stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought, and then, she stormed past Ruby without shaking her hand. She walked straight to her bunk bed, bent over, reached down, and pulled out Myrtenaster from its casing. She ran a warm finger against the sharp blade, admiring it: the lifeless pacemaker that stimulated her damaged heart.

"I say we wipe that smug look off their faces," Weiss said coldly, "and I get revenge for this damn black eye."


	19. RWBY vs CRDL

**Note: Hey, everyone. Just as a head's up, after this chapter and the next, we're probably going to take another break from writing until RWBY Volume 6 picks up in the fall. We know, we just came back, but life is going to pick up again soon, and we need to be ready for it. Until then, enjoy.**

* * *

"Students, this will be the deciding battle."

Ruby took stock of what she had to work with. On her side of the field, Team Ten: four girls who could barely stand to be in the same room as each other, but for once, united with a common goal. On the opposite side of the field, Team One: CRDL, who despite their cockiness heading into the final round of battle, were more determined than ever to take home the victory. Their audience, watching from above, was finally intrigued in the matchup, having watched the girls be saved by what they thought was an equipment malfunction. Ruby should have been scared or nervous, but she felt strangely at peace with herself. The past several days had been nothing but dread and anger and contempt, but she was ready to put it all behind her. With her teammates by her side, and their final strategy in place, all she needed to do was guarantee everything went smoothly. Easier said than done.

"You girls got lucky last time!" Cardin called out arrogantly. "It won't happen again. You better be ready to give up my pride, Yang."

Yang sneered, but stayed back. No matter how much that voice buried in the back of her mind pushed her forward, she refused.

"Don't let him get inside your inside head," Ruby instructed her.

"I won't."

"And, Yang, about yesterday, when I said I was sorry for everything, I meant that," Ruby said pointedly.

"I know," Yang nodded. "There's a lot we need to talk about when this is over. More than you realize."

"We'll make a date," Ruby stated.

"And one more thing… I get the last hit on Cardin."

"Wouldn't dream of anything else."

"Teams, are you ready for combat?" Goodwitch asked over the loudspeaker. Ruby tightened her grip, and Yang slowly backstepped to the rear of the group, keeping her eyes fixated on her targets. Weiss moved upwards, and Blake off to the side. They needed to be ready to go the second the fight began, or they would lose everything.

"Team One, declare yourselves!"

Cardin stepped forward, though noticeably kept his footing by the rest of the group near the edge of the arena.

"Team CRDL: Strength in Numbers."

"Team Ten, declare yourselves!"

Ruby twirled her scythe on her shoulder, and spiked its tip into the ground in front of her. "Team RWBY…"

Blake quickly pushed in front of her, and while her eyes locked onto Cardin, her sword pointed up at the skybox, aiming at wherever she thought Goodwitch's head was located.

"Go Fuck Yourselves."

Cardin gritted his teeth, and stormed forward, only to be held back by his teammates. Goodwtich stammered into the microphone, flabbergasted. The motto was Blake's idea. Ruby was rather hesitant at first, but it fit them well, not because she thought it made them look cool or edgy, which it didn't, but because it got their point across. They weren't going to be subject to CRDL's will or the rules of the tests any longer. They were defiant. They were lashing out. If they were going to get kicked out, they were going down on their own terms, fighting tooth and nail all the way to the end.

"Blake B-Belladonna," Goodwitch stammered, "you may absolutely _not_ use profanity in—"

Ozpin spoke to her, and after a few seconds of muted bickering, Goodwitch returned to the microphone, speaking reluctantly.

"The battle will commence in twenty seconds. Good luck."

Twenty seconds. Ruby took a deep breath. Last chance. Everyone was counting on her. Fifteen seconds. She was out of time to second-guess her strategy. She had studied CRDL's patterns for two full days, more than anyone else she had ever faced. Ten seconds. As long as her partners were able to keep their heads clear, they would win. Five seconds. They would win, right? Four seconds. They weren't going to win. Three seconds. They were screwed. Two seconds. So, so, _so_ screwed. One second.

CRDL backed as far as they could against the edge of the arena and held their ground. Nope, her team was totally going to win.

The fight began, and Weiss lunged forward, just as they practiced, summoning a glyph at her feet. The floor around them froze as ice spread out from the enhanced surface until the thick membrane had fully coated the floor around their feet. Ruby and Weiss jumped back and watched from overhead as Yang followed her orders, jumping into her hands and bringing her fists together as she dove and smashed the ice with a fiery final blow, kicking up hundreds of thousands of icy particles into the air until they formed a thick, near impenetrable fog. The fog grew outward and consumed them, and within moments, filled the entire arena and beyond, drifting past the skybox and the audience, rendering them unable to see. By the time it had reached CRDL, Team RWBY had all but disappeared, and Cardin found himself huddling closer together to his peers as he shouted out orders.

"Stay on your guard! They're going to try to attack through the fog," he commanded thoroughly. "Sky, can your Semblance clear it?"

"It's hard to breathe in here. The cold hurts my voice," Sky struggled to explain.

"Then hold back and wait for them to come to us," Cardin ordered. "We have up the upper hand if we hold our ground." He focused on the fog, desperately searching for any signs of life. Then, he found it in the distance: a shadow moving at an off pattern, halfway across the field. It drew closer, dancing around on its feet, and soon, Cardin recognized its body shape as one belonging to Weiss Schnee.

"Dove, Atlas on our right flank!" Cardin shouted. "We need to keep her back. If any of you see a glyph underneath us, we need an energy barricade behind us."

On instinct, Dove and Russel swapped flanks, and Dove formed a spear of energy into a familiar sniper rifle, planting his feet and taking long-range shots at his target. Weiss saw the bolts heading toward her clearly through the fog, and with a sudden twist, pivoted away from the blast, effortlessly allowing it to sail past her. More shots came her way, but she turned and dodged them as well, staying light on her feet, always balanced, just like she knew she would have to be.

" _You want me to what?" Weiss had asked Ruby in shock._

" _Look, CRDL has to be shaken from losing that last battle," Ruby explained carefully. "They're probably going play a lot more conservatively tomorrow, repeat their strategy from the only match they won, and focus on protecting themselves from obvious threats. That's good for us. But, since you almost took them out with that glyph the other day, they probably see you as both the biggest and probably the easiest threat, too. If I'm right, that means they're gunning after you first, so you need to stay alive and draw their fire. And since they'll have to attack from a range, that means you'll have to dodge?"_

" _For how long?"_

" _About fifteen seconds," Ruby stated. "I wouldn't ask you to do it if I didn't think you could. I saw you fight those golems, and you didn't seem to have any problems moving out of the way of their attacks. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if you train to be a Huntress and know that you can't really afford to get hit, you must learn to how to get pretty good at staying clear of damage."_

" _She got sucker punched earlier," Yang noted._

" _She was distracted. If she focuses, I'm sure she can do it. Plus, those energy bolts he fires may look like bullets, but they move a lot slower, so any of us can move quick enough to get out the way if we try hard enough."_

" _Okay, but even so," Blake chimed in, "that's only because we can use our Aura to strengthen our legs. She can't move as fast as we can."_

" _Can't I?" asked Weiss. "Think about when we were in the cave. I managed to keep up with you pretty well when we were sprinting out of there. Plus, I got a decent score outmaneuvering that Great Wolf."_

" _But how?" Blake asked. Weiss looked away, her cheeks flushed._

" _Well, lacking Aura isn't the only thing notable about me. Remember earlier when I said that everything about me was fake?" she said awkwardly. "It turns out that may not have been much of an exaggeration…"_

Another bolt of energy sailed past her head, and Weiss took a deep breath. She was doing it. She was holding up. She just had to remember her training, remember to stay focused and remember to not push herself past her limits. The doctors had been very clear about that last part. But, for the moment, her legs were holding up to the pressure, even when strained far more than their supports had ever been before. But it was just a little longer. Hopefully, she thought, they wouldn't question why she wasn't holding her weapon before then.

What the boys had not noticed while focused on taking out Weiss was the blonde woman speedily running around a path to their left, bolting towards the edge of the arena with Myrtenaster held tightly in a reverse grip. Praying that she remembered Weiss's instructions correctly, she pressed down with the edge of her palm, and allowed the path of glyphs to form, leading upward outside the bounds of the arena and wrapping back around to the center. She burst through the veil of fog and stepped onto the glyph, and for half a moment, she expected another brutal electrical shock. But, with another step, she smiled. Ruby was right. The rules stated that a student would be eliminated from the battle if they touched the floor outside the arena. Standing on the floating black glyphs, she would do no such thing.

Sprinting up her path, she pressed the button once more, and a final, larger glyph emerged, hanging in the air, beckoning to her. She lunged towards it, planting her feet against its surface, and turned back to CRDL, their backs turned and completely unaware of what was about to hit them. With a single, powerful leap, Yang burst forth from the platform and charged at them with all of her strength, breaking through their ranks like a cannonball and launching them to the center of the arena. The four barely knew what was happening as they were knocked to the floor and struggled to regain a sense of where they were. By the time Cardin regained his footing, Yang had vanished back into the fog.

"Dammit, where'd she go?" he screamed. Dove rose to his feet, shaken.

"I didn't see her. Do you think she—ah!"

Before he could finish, a lengthy black cord extended from the ceiling and wrapped around his leg, and he was tugged upwards suddenly until he was dangling upside down from his leg. Blake, hanging from the pipes in the ceiling, pulled him up ten feet before releasing him, and that was when Ruby struck, striking out from the fog in a distorted haze and hooking Dove into the nook between the staff of her weapon and the rubber stopper covering its blade. She snatched him from the sky effortlessly, her Semblance pushing her faster than they could process. The wind was knocked from his lungs, and in one fluid motion, Ruby rotated her shoulders and flung him through the air with the rest of his momentum, sending him skidding against the floor and outside the playing field.

"Dove Bronzewing had been eliminated."

"What the hell?" Sky muttered, looking around in terror, unable to see.

"She was so fast," Russel said, quivering.

"Get it together, you two!" Cardin ordered, backing up into them and raising his mace in defense. "It's not over."

The shadows were evasive, dodging in and out of visibility. There was no clear pattern to their movements. They ducked and charged, then backed away without even firing a warning shot. Even checking up at the ceiling, Cardin could see nothing at all. It was disorientating. Worse, his Semblance was rendered almost useless. He could make himself invulnerable to damage for only a few seconds at a time, but with no indication of when they would strike, it was pointless to try.

"Cardin, twelve o'clock!" Sky shouted, just in time for a massive shape to rush at them through the fog. It was larger than the three of them and barreled straight towards them without mercy. An ice wall, gradually gaining steam, drew closer and closer, but before Cardin could protect himself, Sky jumped in front of him, and unleashed his own Semblance, forcing the pillar of ice back. He screamed as hard as he could, but the ice only moved back slowly, and in their haste to top the forceful impact, they forgot they left their right flank unguarded.

Russel felt a blunt, crude impact to the back of his knee, and he collapsed in agony, unable to move. Cardin heard his cries, and turned around just in time to see a woman in black smirk as she turned into dust and faded into nothingness. He leaned down to check on his partner, but it did not take long for him to realize that his leg had been shattered by what Blake's attack. Goodwitch hadn't announced his elimination because she couldn't see, but he was out. Sky had quickly taken notice as well, but in his concern, he turned away from the ice, and it roared back to life, racing towards them without stop. Cardin noticed at the last minute and barely pulled Sky out of its path before it zoomed past.

"Shit. We need to pull through," Cardin demanded. "Sky, can you—"

Another shadow raced towards them, and instinctively, Cardin grabbed Sky by the shoulders and threw him out of the way. Unfortunately for him, before he could follow, he stumbled over Russel, still writhing on the ground, and fell backward, losing Sky in the fog as another ice wall broke the space between them. Cardin recovered and called out for help, only for another voice to greet him instead.

"Sky Lark has been eliminated."

And suddenly, Cardin Winchester was alone. And, as the fog began to dissipate, and Cardin raised his mace in vain against the enemy he could not see, Ruby watched from the distance, and signaled to her allies that it was time to put their final move into practice. The girls raced to the edge of the platform together, and when the fog finally cleared, and Cardin could see the enemy in front of him, he was in awe. Blake shot out her grappling hook to the wall off to her side and planted her feet, while Weiss pressed forward with her returned rapier, placing a single glyph in its center. Together, Ruby and Yang jumped onto the platform, and as it pulled back from their weight, Cardin realized what was about to happen.

"Do you think you can beat me?" he cried in a desperate challenge. "You four are nothing. I'm the leader of the best team in this whole damn school! I can take you all on by myself!"

"Russel Thrush has been eliminated."

"Do you think I care?" Cardin screamed at the sky. "I'm the best here! Me! If you want me so bad, why don't you come and take it?"

Yang grabbed Ruby by her hood and rolled her eyes. "God, he never shuts up, does he?"

"Never," Ruby grunted. With Yang's hand beside her, she looked to Blake and Weiss, standing by, ready to put their opponent to bed. Two days ago, they were heaps on the floor, broken and bruised. But at that moment, in front of an audience of her shocked peers, staring down her biggest foe, she never felt more alive, and she carried that will and confidence in her words as she finally screamed, " _Shatter Engine! Go!_ "

With a grunt, Yang jumped in the air, pressing her sister forward with her free hand, as the slingshot launched with all the power Weiss could muster. Ruby rocketed through the air, heading towards the middle of the arena at blistering speeds, where Cardin lied in wait, and she pulled her scythe back as far she could as she readied herself for her final move. Cardin, with a violent scream of his own, clasped his arms over his chest, and his body radiated in a glowing light. His timing was perfect; Ruby headed towards him just as he extended his shield, and he grimaced, preparing for his counterattack the moment his Semblance halted his attack. But Ruby's timing was perfect as well. At the last instant before contact, she slammed the head of her scythe into the ground, and fired. The gunshot launched her into the air, and she tumbled upside down as Cardin watched her fly past without hesitation. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down. His Semblance faded away, and at the moment before their connected gaze ended, he saw one of those silver eyes wink at him. He turned back around, defenseless, just in time to see the slingshot's second attack charging across the ring: a fiery blonde grinning vengefully, her arm cocked back for the hardest thrown punch of her life.

"Surprise!" Yang shouted gleefully, and the last thing Cardin saw before impact was the brightest red in all of Remnant.

The punch connected. The room gasped all at once. Metal against metal, then a crunch. His chest nearly collapsed. The air escaped his lungs, and then, as she followed through on her punch, he flew, backward, soaring freely, skidding against the arena floor, then outside it, and then mercifully coming to a rest against the concrete wall, knocked out cold. Yang stood in the middle of the arena, breathless, her fist still extended outward. Weiss and Blake exchanged glances. Ruby's heart stopped, for only a moment. It had been two minutes and thirty-eight seconds since the opening of the battle. And then, after that time as done, Goodwitch's voice returned, emotionless and factual.

"By means of knockout… Team Ten wins."

A moment of silence, and then, Yang leaped into the air, and screamed.

"Yeeeeeessssssss! Yes yes yes yes _yes_!" she shouted, jumping up and down. Ruby bolted to her side, and lunged into her arms. The other students' shock subsided, and then at once, a bright, red-headed girl screamed in victory as well.

"Whoo! Go, Team RWBY!" Nora screamed, waving her arms in the stands. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and soon, the whole of the student body joined in on the celebration, applauding them for a battle well fought. Ruby heard almost none of it, lost in the joy of celebrating with Yang. Even as the other girls came over to them, she was too busy holding hands with her sister and jumping up and down like little schoolchildren to notice. Eventually, Yang noticed Cardin moaning off in the distance, and shouted at him as loud as she could, pointing at her lips with delight.

"Haha! Suck it, Cardin! Good luck getting a taste of these babies now! Enjoy life in your new lace thong, you sexist creep!"

Ruby could help but laugh, even if the insults were beyond her sensibilities. She was caught further off guard when Weiss leaped onto her shoulders from behind, hugging her and spinning around in a circle.

"We did it! We actually _did_ it!" Weiss shouted blissfully. "We were so _awesome_!" The two spun around together, lost in the moment and their embrace, proud of each other's work, delighted to have each other as teammates, and when they turned to face each other, it was hard to remember a time when they were any happier. And then, they suddenly remember who it was they were holding onto, and they quickly released each other and backed away quickly, their joyous faces vanishing in an instant, replaced a burning redness in their cheeks. Yang, fortunately enough, had no such embarrassing feelings, and hoisted Blake up in the air effortless as she bounded around the room.

"Blake, smile! Dammit, can't you be happy for once?" she asked with a giggle.

"Hey, I don't do the whole celebration thing," Blake grunted, though even she was noticeably less annoyed than usual.

"What? That's no fun! We need to dance together, or laugh, or—" Yang gasped with excitement. "Blake… let's get married!"

"What is wrong with you?" Blake moaned playfully as Yang shook the quieter woman in her arms.

"Aw, what's the matter? Don't you think I'd make a good bride?"

The four girls laughed and smiled together, alone in their own little problem-free world. The next day, classes would start up, for real. The trials and tribulations of becoming a Huntress would become more and more apparent, and there were still the threats they didn't know about, lurking out in the shadows. But, for the moment, they deserved it. They had won their right to belong. They had fully become Team RWBY. And as Ozpin and Goodwitch watched them from the skybox, a knowing grin spread over Ozpin's face.

"See, Glynda, I told you they could do it," he stated proudly.

"That you did," Goodwitch sighed, "and they even managed to win without cheating this time. I never expected something like that from those four."

"That's why you need to see the bigger picture," Ozpin stated. "I doubt those four are going to stay in ranked tenth for very long. With enough practice, they'll make it to the top in no time."

"And about the other thing? Do you still think they're the team you've been waiting for?"

"Only time will tell," Ozpin shrugged. "But if that Miss Rose ends up anything like her mother, I think they will be in very good hands."


	20. Pizza Slumber Party

That night, Team RWBY was finally given their own room. It was rather late, due in large part to Professor Goodwitch doubt's about their abilities to remain in the school. But, it was better late than never, even if it was the smallest out of all the rooms available, and even if the beds hadn't been made due to the hasty nature of their assembly, and even if they could quite clearly hear the chatter of the team next-door through the thin walls. It was their new home, and Ruby loved it with everything she had. It was made even better in the presence of friendly company, and she and her team sat in a circle on their floor, talking well into the night.

It was fascinating what a victory could do to team morale. It was strange to think that only twenty-four hours beforehand, they had been at each other's throats. All of that bickering and frustration had been a heavy weight on her spirit, but somehow, it all seemed worth it. The food helped ease tensions as well; in the aftermath of their fight and their celebration of CRDL's defeat, Yang had gone out to the town and bought three large cheese pizzas and two massive bottles of soda, which were being vigorously devoured by the four of them. Ruby scarfed down half a pie all by herself. Using a Semblance and bounding about the arena took a lot out of her, though she also had not realized just how little she had been eating since the incident with Grimm, or for that matter, since arriving at Beacon. She had drained herself struggling to overcome their tests, and at that moment, it was finally time to rest and relax, and eat her delicacy. A cheesy, saucy, crispy, tasty delicacy.

"So, Yang," Blake asked as she sat crosslegged. "Have you decided what you're going to make Cardin wear yet?"

Yang took a bite of her sixth slice of pizza, cheese stretching from her mouth as she pulled the slice away. "Nmm Idmm," she mumbled, quickly swallowing and wiping the sauce from her lips with her forearm. "I mean, I wasn't even thinking about it when I made the bet, but I don't even own any lingerie. I really don't want to go out and spend the money on it either; I'm pretty much broke. Do you think maybe I should just give him a pair of my normal underwear?"

"That sounds like it'd be way worse for you than for him," Blake stated.

"Yeah, I thought so," Yang sighed. "Plus, it wouldn't nearly be as embarrassing as something that's actually kind of fancy, you know? After all that shit he put us through, I want it to be worth it."

"Do you really have to go through with it?" Ruby asked, disappointedly. "That's a pretty mean thing to do to someone, even Cardin."

"He was going to make me follow up on my end of the bargain if he won," Yang said defensively. "If I put my body on the line, I want something in return. Now, I just need to get cheap expensive underwear. Weiss, do you have any fancy underwear I can borrow?"

"You are not getting anywhere _near_ my underwear," Weiss said defiantly, eating her pizza in silence. They did not have pizza up in Atlas, and thus, it was her first experience with the subject matter. Weiss found that was a crucial error that she was glad to correct, though she would never admit that to a Valian.

"I have fancy underwear you can borrow," Blake stated calmly. Yang's eyes lit up.

"You do?"

"Yeah. It's right next to my pot of infinite money and the secret of the universe."

"Ugh," Yang rolled her eyes. "Usually your sarcasm is charming, but I can't deal with that right now."

"My sarcasm is always charming," Blake said simply.

"Yeah, well you know what isn't charming?" Weiss added. "Breaking Russel's leg in the middle of the match. That was pretty cold. I heard he may have to miss class tomorrow."

"Sorry I wasn't nice enough to the bad guys," Blake shrugged. "Ruby told me that when they turned their backs, I should incapacitate one of them. She didn't say how."

"I… sort of meant that you should throw them out of bounds," Ruby said softly. "You know like you did with Dove."

"Russel's just a student. You didn't have to be so dirty about it," Weiss added.

"You're saying I'm dirty?" Blake asked, irritated.

"Hey, guys, no arguing. Remember?" Yang said before things got out of hand. Blake moaned, and took a swig of soda from her cup.

"Next time we fight, I'll hold back a little. Okay?" she said, annoyed. "Just don't forget that as Huntresses, we're going to do a lot worse to people than break their legs."

"I know. I just… don't want to think about that right now," Ruby said dismissively. She quickly tried to push past it. "But everything else you did today was incredible. Your timing was perfect, and they never even noticed you. All of you did fantastically."

"Hey, we only did it because we had a good strategy," Yang said confidently. "How did you manage to put that together in your head so fast?"

"I'm kind of good that stuff, I guess. You know, like when we used to play chess, you have to—"

"I _hated_ playing chess with you. You always won!"

"Well, yeah, because it's like chess. It's all about positioning, and knowing what pieces to move and when."

"Okay, but here's a real serious question," Yang said, finishing her slice of pizza and leaning forward with intent. "Where the hell did you get 'Shatter Engine' from?"

Ruby blushed furiously. "W-What? What's wrong with that name? Don't you like it? Is it lame?"

"It's fine," Yang insisted. "I just want to know where it came from? Was that like from a comic book or something?"

"Well, no, it's…" Ruby struggled to explain, gesturing wildly in the air. "It was like… we're going to break through Cardin's defenses, so we're shattering them, and since we all work together in order to do it, adding components to make the whole work. Like an engine. Do you think we should go with something else? Shatter Machine? Shatter Device? Shatter Slingshot? Breaker Slingshot?"

"The name really isn't all that important," Blake suggested.

"It is to me!" Ruby protested. "Haven't you always wanted to name your attacks? That's, like, the _coolest_ thing."

"Do you name all your attacks?"

"Only the special ones," Ruby explained. "There isn't much to separate one horizontal slash from another horizontal slash."

"Okay, so do you have a name for the move where I yank the guy in the air and you catch him with your scythe?" asked Blake.

"Um… let me think," Ruby muttered. She paused for a moment, and then came to a half-decent answer. "How about _Yo-Yo Slam_? You know, because you pull him like a yo-yo, and then I slam him."

Blake said nothing.

"Yeah, that sucks," Ruby moaned. "Maybe _Bait and Tackle_? Because you're pulling him up like you're catching a fish? Oh no wait, I got it. _Ripcord_. That sounds pretty catchy, right?"

Blake shrugged. "That's not terrible."

"Ooh, what about that move where I take Weiss's sword and use it without the enemy knowing?" asked Yang excitedly.

"I'm not sure. _Dual Wield_?" Ruby threw out randomly. " _Diversion? Fake Out?"_

"No, here's what it should be," Yang stated, clearing her throat. " _Dual Mastery_. Because it's the move we used to show my mastery over both of our weapons."

"Excuse me… what?" Weiss asked with a smirk. "You haven't mastered Myrtenaster."

"Did you see me back there?" Yang said proudly. "I know that fog was thick, but I used that sword perfectly."

"You literally just made a series of platforms," Weiss said grandly. "They didn't even move; they just floated there! That's the easiest possible thing you could make with Myrtenaster. Do you have any idea how much more complicated it gets from there? That ice wall I made is something that took me three years of practice before I got it right."

"How does it take you three years to make a block of ice?" Yang asked in return. "There's literally just one button. You press it and things come out."

"It's not just pressing the button. It's all about the technique of _how_ you press it. The amount of pressure you put on it, the amount of time you hold it, plus the position of each of your other fingers, the angle you hold the sword at, the distance away from your body, and so much more. Even if you use ice Dust, you have to control the block's size, shape, speed, direction, thickness… the slightest imperfection can cause icicles to start flying at your head."

"I think you're jealous of me," Yang grinned. "You're jealous of how incredible of a job I did with your weapon without any practice."

"Literally the only reason I let you use Myrtenaster was that I knew it would be almost impossible for you to hurt yourself," Weiss said smugly.

"Yeah, sure, you keep telling yourself that," Yang shrugged. Two days later, when everyone else was asleep, Yang would steal Myrtenaster from Weiss's possessions and practice with it out in the courtyard. The next morning, the three of them would find Yang in the infirmary with a bad cut over her right eye, two dislocated shoulders, and clothes covered in frost. Yang would never talk about holding Weiss's weapon ever again.

"Hey, Yang, can I ask you something?" Ruby said quietly.

"Shoot."

"I was just wondering when you wanted to have that talk," Ruby admitted. Yang scratched the back of her head, looking away.

"Oh, yeah. That," she stammered uncomfortably. She did say that, didn't she? Many times, in fact. It was exactly like she was good at having conversations with people, especially on a topic so sensitive. She was well aware of the severity of the things she said to her sister back then. They were buried so deeply that she herself was unaware of them until they came out. However, in her mind, that was all the more reason to ignore them and bury the hatchet. Ruby wasn't the grudge-holding type, and she could move past the anger if she really wanted to, or at least, she could suppress it. It was more important for them to stay together since they had officially become a team. A petty sibling rivalry wouldn't do them any good.

" _You're afraid to tell her about me."_

"You know what? I don't think we need the talk," Yang stated.

"We… we don't?" Ruby asked, suspicious.

"No. I'm super sorry for all of that 'I don't want to be around you' nonsense. You know I didn't really mean any of that stuff," Yang said. It was the most painfully unconvincing sentence she ever uttered, but Ruby seemed to be along for the ride.

"Okay. If you say so," she said awkwardly.

"Yeah. I'm glad you're on my team, Ruby. Really." Yang smiled as genuinely as she could.

" _You're a fucking coward, Yang."_

"That's a shame," Blake said. "I would have loved to see you two go at it again. I could have brought popcorn this time." She took a long sip of her soda, and Yang brushed her aside.

"If we're not going to talk, can I ask you something else then?" asked Ruby. "If you didn't ask Ozpin to put me on your team, whose team _did_ you want to be on? Not counting Pyrrha, of course."

"Oh," Yang said sheepishly. "To be honest, I actually asked to be on Blake's team."

Blake spat out her soda suddenly, coughing out her beverage over the floor. Weiss snickered in delight, holding her hand over her mouth to stop her from laughing any louder.

"Wait, what?" she said in disbelief, her cheeks red. "You picked _me_? Why?"

"You seemed like a cool person to hang out with," Yang said, stifling a laugh of her own. "I take it you weren't expecting that?"

"It's just…" Blake stammered. "Wow. I don't even know what to say."

"I think you've said enough," Weiss joked. "Are you okay?"

"My chest hurts," Blake stated. "Is this what it feels like to be wanted?"

"Oh, shush you." Yang swatted her on the forearm.

There was a knock on the door, and while Blake was still suffering the aftermath of feeling attention, Ruby hurried to the door and opened it. When she did, she backed away, pleasantly surprised by the bunny-eared girl waiting in the entrance way, holding a massive box of chocolates in her arms.

"Hello!" Velvet said happily. "We just wanted to stop by and congratulate you on a wonderful match today!"

At first, Ruby didn't understand who else she was referring to until she saw the figure standing behind Velvet leaning against the back wall. Her arms crossed. Head tilted low. Long, brown shirt. Buckled leather boots. Black scarf and black beret. Short, dyed hair. Bandages wrapped around her face and body. And yet, despite all of that, she still wore a pair of dark sunglasses. Indoors. At night. Ruby had seen her face once before in the forest, but standing in her presence was something else entirely, even if she was battered and bruised.

"Hey," she spoke in a near whisper. It was the coolest thing anyone had ever said at any point in Human history.

"Uh, hi," Ruby said, wide-eyed and innocent, and absolutely not cool.

"Fox and Yatsu are still recovering," said Coco Adel, coolest person in Remnant. "But I wanted to stop by. Is that all right with you?"

"We brought chocolates!" Velvet added sweetly.

"Y-Yes! Of course!" Ruby said with a pained laugh. "Come right on in. We have pizza. Sort of. Hey, girls, we have visitors."

The conversations stopped dead in their tracks when Team CFVY entered the room. Velvet welcomed herself into the group, sitting cross-legged on the floor amongst the others, while Coco gently walked a small path around the perimeter, a noticeable limp in her left leg. Yang wasted no time in helping herself to the chocolates, while the others focused on Coco as she carefully brushed her hand against the surface of the back window.

"So, this is your room, huh?" she said calmly. "It's a lot smaller than ours."

"The sizes of team rooms are determined by rank," Weiss reminded her. "Of course, your space is bigger."

"It's quaint. I like it," Coco said with a nod.

"We wanted to let you guys know how incredible your fight was today," said Velvet. "They wouldn't let Coco out of the infirmary to watch it, but I saw it all from the stands. The way you were able to make a comeback against them is something I've never seen before. They were completely outmatched at the end, even though they were ranked the highest."

"Well, it was nothing, really," Ruby said, embarrassed.

"CRDL were a bunch of jerks," Coco said truthfully. "Velvet told me all the stuff they've gotten up to since coming here. Kicking their sorry butts was a long time coming. When I heard that you were the ones to do it, it was just icing on the cake."

"Speaking of which, how are you feeling?" Ruby asked sincerely. "Do you know when they'll let you get back to training?"

"It depends on when Yatsu and Fox wake up," Coco explained. "I'm going to guess they'll let us go in a month. Beacon has relaxed standards. Me, I'm always good to go. A few injuries here and there are nothing."

"You were kidnapped, beaten and starved for two weeks," Blake stated.

Coco shrugged. "Eh."

So. Damn. Cool.

"About that," Ruby said hopefully, "you don't happen to remember anything about the thing that attacked you, do you?"

Coco shook her head. "Sorry. Whatever took us attacked from behind. The whole thing is just a blur. I only remember that I was going through the forest, and then the next thing I know, I'm waking up on a medical table covered in bandages."

"Oh. That's too bad," Ruby muttered. A chance to verify their knowledge of the Grimm: wasted.

"Though that does bring me to why I actually wanted to stop by," Coco said, resting on the edge of Ruby's bed. She crossed her leg, and tilted down her sunglasses, exposing her honest eyes. "The fact of the matter is that if it wasn't for you four, there's a really good chance I wouldn't be here right now. You didn't just save my life, but my whole team. You threw yourself into harm's way when you didn't have to, and that is something I'm never going to forget. CFVY is in your debt, and if there is anything—literally anything—you need from us, all you have to do is ask. Cool?"

The four nodded in unison.

"Sweet," Coco said, readjusting her glasses. "Now, can you hand me a slice of pizza? You would not believe how hungry you get while lying in a coma."

CFVY only stayed for about an hour. Like true professionals, they knew when to let RWBY enjoy their moment in the sun. A few pizza slices and chocolatey sweets later, Coco and Velvet said their goodbyes. They made certain to exchange their contact information, and soon, Ruby was standing outside in the hall, waving the wounded warriors farewell. The last thing Coco said to her was a recommendation to make custom buttons with their motto on it. It did, unfortunately, require an explanation from Ruby as to why that was a bad idea, and when she told Coco what their motto was, the older girl chuckled.

"Ha. That's awesome. I can't believe they let you get away with that," she smirked.

"Yeah, I can't believe it either," Ruby said shyly. It was only then that Weiss poked her head out of the room, and turned to her with a solemn look on her face.

"Ruby, can I speak with you for a moment?" she asked cautiously. Coco shrugged and turned to leave.

"I'll leave you to your business. Later, Leader." In a moment, she was gone, and the aura of confidence and pride that she carried with her left as well, leaving Ruby alone with a creeping sensation of dread. Weiss shut the door behind them as she heard Yang and Blake talking about something irrelevant, and then it was just the two of them, standing alone in the hallway. It was the first time the two had been completely alone together since Ruby almost broke her nose. Ruby didn't know what to expect in return. More insults? A broken nose of her own? A combination of the two?

"Look… I'm sorry."

Or something different entirely.

"Wait, what?" Ruby asked, stunned. Weiss cleared her throat and looked Ruby dead in the eye.

"I wanted to tell you that I was sorry," Weiss said carefully. "I've been thinking about this since this morning, and when Coco talked about how you saved her life, it sort of reminded me that, technically speaking… you saved mine as well. Twice."

"I'm not sure I'm following you," Ruby said honestly.

"Yeah, well, this isn't exactly easy for me," Weiss admitted. She started again, slower, taking deep breaths to maintain her composure. "Ruby… over the course of my life, I've learned that when I talk to people, I usually get met… less than ideal behavior. And so, I developed this sense of fighting back against that, even when it's undeserved. I know it sounds like I'm making excuses, and maybe I am, but I just wanted to let you know—"

She groaned and slapped her palm against her face. "I said things about you that were cruel. Things that honestly, I don't even feel comfortable repeating right now. I said things about your mom that no one should ever be allowed to say, and the general way I've been acting towards you these past weeks is antithetical to everything I should strive to be. It probably shouldn't have taken e this long to realize it, and it probably shouldn't have taken you helping me first for me to treat you better, and this apology probably isn't going to make up for anything I actually said, but… I'm sorry."

She continued softly. "You still hate me, and that's fine. I deserve a lot of it. I was happy at your expense when you were picked for a bad team. I always try to take charge and act like I know everything. I don't contribute to anything, and I'm wasteful, and I'm mean, and I know that I'm a bad person, but—"

"You're not," Ruby interrupted to Weiss's shock. "I don't… think you're a bad person, Weiss."

Weiss bowed her head. "Well… that makes one of us."

Weiss Schnee. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. A girl who was, hypothetically born with everything. A girl who was still lost in her own transgressions, incapable of moving past them. No Aura. No Semblance. She stood there in the hall, far enough to be out of reach but closer and warmer than ever, and Ruby, despite herself, couldn't help but think back to their first day of testing, when she was crying in that bathroom stall, having failed her first ask and teetering on the brink of collapse. At that time, she pushed Ruby away, but the truth was that Ruby ran from her. She was afraid to reach out any further at risk of being burned again, but in the hallway, that mess of failures and disappointments was standing right in front of her, and despite all the hateful things she ever said or did, Ruby knew she couldn't stand by again. Weiss was finally reaching out to her. It was time for her to do the same.

"Weiss, I hate that we hate each other," Ruby admitted. "When I first came to this school, I knew literally no one. The only thing I was ever worried about was not being able to make any friends. I don't care about those things we said to each other anymore. There are literal man-eating giant monsters living in the forest, and we were lucky enough to face one and come out alive. And now, we're lucky enough to get to train here. We're teammates now, and it's only going to get harder if we keep holding grudges. I want to know that the person who has my back is someone I can trust. I'm not asking to become best friends or anything; I don't even know if that's possible. I just… want us to start over, you know?"

With a deep breath, Ruby extended her hand and smiled. "Ruby Rose. Nice to meet you."

Weiss stared at the hand for a long moment, and then, slowly, carefully, extended her own to shake it. "Weiss Schnee. Likewise."

"No more fighting?"

"Unless you do something really stupid…"

"Don't push it, Weiss."

'No more fighting," Weiss relented and released her grasp. "If you can keep coming up strategies like you did today, I won't have much of a reason to."

"Here's hoping," Ruby said. "Now, let's finish the rest of the food and get some sleep. Okay?"

"Okay by me," Weiss stated. Ruby reached for the door, but the heiress placed a hand on her shoulder, and leaned in, speaking softly. "One last thing. Now that we have some degree of trust with one another… I want you to keep an eye on Blake for me."

"Huh? Why?"

"I think her behavior over the past few days has made it apparent that doesn't care for playing by any of our rules," Weiss stated. "Someone who acts on their own like that needs to be watched closely. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but something tells me that she's hiding something important from us."

"I know she keeps secrets, but come on," Ruby said curiously. "Do you really think she can't be trusted?"

"I'm saying that anyone who laughs at the misery of others and takes an unnecessarily merciless strike on their opponent is someone who has issues," Weiss said knowledgeably. "I'd prefer to find them out before it's too late."

* * *

A house in the middle of the woods. It's window, smashed in with a crowbar. Two men in black rummaged around its decayed interior, throwing aside rugged portraits and decorated tomes. Several minutes of searching later, and they found it in a safe behind the bookshelf. One Semblance later, and it cracked open effortlessly. They took the prize inside: a book printed almost as big as their heads. No sooner did they hold it does a voice scream into the night, and they scampered through the darkness, out the door, to the left and into the shadows of the trees. A figure stumbled after them, tired, dazed, and swatted at the air in fury, it's claw-like fingers thirst for blood. It returned to the safe, and fell to its knees, crying softly, and from its lips, a woman's voice sobbed.

* * *

 **Note: Well, another arc in the books. It's been a fun and work-filled August, but honestly, we're looking forward to a break. Not that we don't like writing, but we need time to refresh our minds. We've decided to call this section of the story the "Ultimate Test", after all of the hardships that our girls had to pull through.**

 **We have no idea what it is about arguments that make them so much fun to write. The constant back-and-forth of dialogue is something that's really fun to get immersed in, and it lets you explore a bunch of different character dynamics in a new way. One of those dynamics was between Ruby and Yang, which most people really seemed to enjoy. The idea of Yang's protectionist nature over Ruby and how she strives for independence aren't really covered at all in the actual show, so it was fun trying to bring all that tension that would probably exist in real life to the surface. And no, despite them smoothing things out, for now, it's probably not over yet between them. That tension doesn't go away in a day.**

 **Poor Team CRDL. Aside from only being featured in the worst arc of the entire series, they're made out to be complete chumps. In our opinion, if you want a threatening bully character, you should make them an actual challenge, and we hope we succeeded in that. RWBY in the show never really had any tension in school, so we wanted to give them something to struggle with and eventually overcome (they needed the win), compared to in the series where they are sort of just regarded as some of the best students in Beacon and nothing ever really comes of it. We've also discovered during this process that CRDL doesn't have any official Semblances, so assuming the writers are reading this (which of course they are), they are more than happy to steal ours.**

 **As for what comes next, something new! We realized that in terms of comparing us to Volume I, not much happens for the rest of the season. In the show, after the teams form and Ruby and Weiss start tolerating each other, we get two separate Jaune storylines (skip!) and then we get right to Blake vs Roman Torchwick. We, however, have _way_ more we want to write about, and the truth is we're only about a quarter of the way done. That means from here on out, we're going to get some original storylines we hope you enjoy. Also, in case you couldn't tell with CFVY, some characters are going to play very different roles here than they did in the show, with some showing up early and others not showing up at all. We'll keep the mystery up until then. Anyway, this author's note is longer than the actual chapter, we're ending here. But let us know what you hope to see next. _Now is the time for that, so type something._ How have you liked everything? Or, alternatively, how much do you hate everything? Balance, please. Or not. It's cool. Like Coco. She's so cool.**


	21. Dear Diary

**Note: We are back again! We know we said that we were going to update when Volume 6 came out, but honestly, life is going to get kind of hectic over the next two months, so we figured we would just release a new chapter now and try to update on an infrequent schedule whenever we can. We're starting a new arc today, one not directly related to anything from the show, so that's going to be something to look forward to. This chapter, in particular, is a little bit of a change of pace, so we hope you all like it. As always, let us know what you think-feedback is appreciated. Enjoy.**

* * *

Ruby's Journal: Entry 1

 _Okay, first time ever doing this. So, Professor Goodwitch instructed us that a good method of maintaining Aura is by steadying our thoughts, and she said that one of the best ways to do that was to keep a journal so we can keep track of our daily activities. I always wanted to have a diary, but I never did since I knew Yang would try to steal it. She could still try to steal it now, but I think she's grown up since then. Anyway, this is the first in what will presumably be a long list of entries, and Goodwitch said to keep it as honest as possible, so I'll do that. The date is September 18th, and it is a Monday._

 _It's been two weeks since RWBY defeated CRDL. Things have become a lot less hectic since that fight, and classes have finally started up for the semester. It involves a lot less fighting than I expected, especially since we did so much fighting beforehand. We're taking five classes this semester, and only one of them is primarily focused on weaponry. That's my favorite. It's taught by Professor Port, and he's the best. He knows almost everything there is to know about weapons, and he's pretty much a master at every fighting style under the sun. I want to sit down with him and talk about it for hours. I think that's an abuse of his office hours though, so maybe not. The other classes are a lot less fun, but it's still much better than anything I was taking at Southtown High._

 _I'm at Beacon Academy training to become a Huntress. It still hasn't fully hit me yet. I don't know how to physically write out the sound of squealing, but I'm doing it._

 _I'm also the leader of my own team, something I never would have expected at Southtown. Sort of the leader, anyway. It's complicated. We still don't really have leaders, not officially. I try not to boss the others around too much. I mostly focus on developing in-field strategies and making sure everyone stays on the same page. The good news is they all like me. Weiss, in particular, has been surprising me recently. Should I explain who Weiss is for the journal? No, I know who Weiss is. No one is reading this. Weiss has been extremely polite to me ever since she apologized to me. At the very least, I can count on her to say what she means. I don't think I've hit friend status with her yet, though. More like mild acquaintances. Still, infinitely better than what came before. I won't pretend to understand what made her change her mind. It probably had a lot to do with beating CRDL together, but Atlasian culture altogether is weird to me. I hope it's more of a mutual respect thing and not some sort of burden-ridden life debt like she has to be my servant or something creepy like that. The truth is, though, and I'm only admitting this to you, Journal, but I do respect the heck out of her though. She was originally one of the top-ranked students in the class, and for her to be that adept at combat would be impressive in its own right. The fact that she can do what she does without any Aura is nothing short of incredible. I know she won't tell me about the details of her enhancements, but they can only compensate for so much, and she has to have an unbelievable amount of talent to not just keep up, but surpass the rest of us. If we ever move up from mild acquaintances to decently accepting of each other, I'll have to inquire about her training regimen. Also, Myrtenaster is super cool._

 _Blake is still her Blakey self. She still won't talk much, and still likes to disappear in the middle of the night. The curfew has been lifted since the Emerald Forest incident, so at least we can't get in trouble for it, but it doesn't exactly help build teamwork. I'm also still bothered by what Weiss said about her. Someone who keeps secrets and is willing to violently strike out against orders can be extremely problematic down the line. It's just hard to keep an eye on her when she literally won't stay in sight._

 _And Yang is better. I think the resentment is mostly gone. Mostly. That fight was way too much for me to handle. I don't want to process it. I already said I was sorry, and she told me that it was water under the bridge, so if she's being honest, then I shouldn't have anything to worry about. But she isn't being honest, right? I mean, Yang was never one to let things get to her, but once they did, she never let them go. I haven't brought it up with her since that night, and she's been all smiles since then. Who knows what goes on in that head of hers? The last thing I need is to reopen an old wound, so I think the best course of action is to wait to see if any warning signs pop up, and then go from there._

 _That should probably be enough for one journal. I'll update maybe once, twice a day if I have to. If I remember to. Please remember to._

* * *

Weiss's Diary: Entry 3

 _The most peculiar part of having Ruby as a leader is trying to take her seriously when that little voice is barking out orders. It's always so peppy and bright, and yet somehow it also sounds as if she's about to burst into tears at any moment. At first, it was grating, but now I mostly find it laughable. I would be a lot more annoyed by her constant yelping if it wasn't for the fact that a lot of what she says happens to be good._

 _And is good, frustratingly so. I finally understand why they let somebody so young enter Beacon Academy. The girl is tactically brilliant. Her mind works so fast I'm amazed she can even keep up. The amount of details she picks up in a matter of moments is something extraordinary, and in the past two weeks, the minor corrections she's made to my form and tactics have done more for my training than in the past two years. Father always said that battle was like a dance and that a good fighter would treat their opponent like their partner, and follow the ebb and flow of the art of battle to achieve victory. For Ruby, instead of studying her partner, it's as if she studies the music instead, and uses it to trace every step of the dance before it's even begun. If only Atlas could take her in and put her in an actual leadership program. Ozpin better not be wasting such an opportunity._

 _That's not to say she's perfect. She isn't remotely close. She could definitely lay off the cutesy nicknames for our attack patterns, even if it does help me remember them. She also has this habit of butting her head in a bit too often, such as waking us all up earlier than our alarms are set because she wants us to be very early for classes, or peering over my shoulder because she doesn't like the notes I'm taking, or asking to be part of more "bonding opportunities." As a strategist, she's manageable. As a person, she needs to zip it. Maybe in a few decades, she'll get there._

 _There's another problem with Ruby as a person, and that is the fact she won't stop trying to make me eat new food. When I came to Vale, the one thing I hadn't realized was that my diet would have to be completely altered from what I'm used to eating. The food options on campus are quite limited, and going into town doesn't produce many high-end results. Pan-seared duck breast? Non-existent. Semifreddo? Unheard of. When Ruby found out that I was unfamiliar with most of the items they had on offer, she suddenly decided that it was her mission to force feed me her favorite snacks at every given opportunity. Over the past few weeks, I have eaten three-topping pizzas and salads mixed with artificial dressings, and just yesterday, my dinner consisted of something called a Double Max Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxe, which almost dislocated my jaw when I tried to get it into my mouth. Valian food is a lot like Valian people: greasy, oversized trash that offends the eyes just to look at it._

 _But it was delicious. That Double Max Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxe might be the greatest thing I have ever eaten in my life. It was absolute trash, and I had no idea what was actually put into creating it, and the entire time I was eating I hated myself, but it was fantastic. I ate it all without stopping, and as annoying as Ruby was about it, I know I have to go back and get another one. I could eat that every day for the rest of my life if I didn't know that it would likely kill me. And on top of all that, it was only ten Lien! Is this how Vale manages to keep its populace in line despite its terrible leadership? By force-feeding them enough meat and cheese to keep them complacent? If so, it's brilliant. Ruby actually had a point for once. She better not read this._

* * *

Blake's Notes: Entry 22

 _Agenda: Maintain current course of action._

 _Updates on Progress: Team involvement has increased drastically. Time spent by myself has been so minimalized I have to take every opportunity I can to get away. Average time is around an hour per day—a quarter of the time as before. Ruby's been working around the clock to stop me from going out at night. With the scheduling, night trips would almost be impossible anyway. By the time we finish training and homework to the start of class, I only have six hours. Even I need sleep, and five hours isn't enough for how much work I'm doing every day. One bit of good news: the curfew reduction means fewer guard patrols._

 _Update 2: Weiss has been staring at me. She's not very good at hiding her suspicions. So far, she hasn't done any unnecessary prodding, but I'm concerned telling her off will just make her more determined. For now, I'm ignoring her and hoping she gets bored with me and finds a poor person to get offended at instead._

 _Update 3: No new prime locations discovered. Current six seem suitable enough, but ten seems to be optimization._

 _Update 4: Not so much an update, but a weird thing that happened in class. We were learning about Valian Huntsman history, and Oobleck calls on me to explain George Heiser IV's Huntsman expedition into the Valian wilds during the first expansion period. The first thing that comes to mind is the slaughter of the indigenous people of Aazru, and so I say that in front of the class. He looks at me like a crazy person. I don't know why I was so surprised. We used to joke all the time that Vale's history was so flexible you could tie knots with it, but seeing someone lie so blatantly in front of everyone, and not even have them notice, is rather discomforting. I'm not sure if the other students were just too afraid to say anything, or really just didn't know better, and I'm not sure which is worse._

 _Also, Yang is trying to get me to tutor her in history and literature. She literally jumped on my bed and pleaded with me to help her. I told her to ask Ruby, and she said that Ruby was a "science and math nerd, and I need a different kind of nerd." She also repeatedly said that I owed her because I was her best friend, and best friends help each other. I turned her down. I can't afford any more time sinks. Ruby will find a way to deal with her eventually._

 _Entry concluded._

* * *

Yang's Stuff: Entry 7

 _One of the things that Ruby's been attempting to drill into us is a consistent team schedule. Every day after dinner, we head to the battle arena to work on team exercises and practice with each other. Apparently, Ruby got permission from Ozpin to use it directly, so we don't have to worry about any other teams bothering us. It's pretty nice except for the shit lighting. We manage._

 _Today's practice didn't go smoothly. Ruby's big on team attacks, and we spend usually half an hour just going over the different combinations of moves she comes up for us. It's a good workout—way better than the gym, even if there are no cute people to stare at. But here's the hard part: Ruby has a bazillion different attacks that she expects us to memorize, and I love her, but they're all starting to bleed together. In the last few days, she's come up with:_

 _Crimson Typhoon_

 _Endless Hour_

 _Dark Saboteur_

 _Wolf's Suffering_

 _Hellfire Rush_

 _Midnight Eclipse (okay that one's pretty cool)_

 _Sniper's Wild_

 _I don't even know where she comes up with half this stuff. I took a peek inside her journal, and she didn't write any of them down, so she must just keep this stored somewhere in that big brain of hers. The problem is that she expects me to remember that, and I don't know why she thought that was a good idea, because today when we were practicing, I fucked up the wrong move and ended up running straight into Blake and pretty much headbutted her directly in her boobs. And no, that's not as fun as it sounds, because you know what's directly underneath boobs? Ribs. And are boobs a good cushion when you're flying at thirty miles per hour into another human being's ribs? Nope. I think she was okay because she stood up afterward and called me an asshole, but Ruby scolded me big time. It was the first time I messed one of those moves up, so it's not like it's a big deal or anything, but I'm lucky I didn't do that against another team, or worse, a Grimm._

 _We're getting better though, despite my fuck-up. It feels good knowing people have my back. I'm even starting to hit the point where I don't even need to hear Ruby's callouts anymore. I can just see Weiss switching to a certain type of Dust, and I know what to do instinctually. Instinctively? Are one of those right? Whatever, the point is we're rock solid. Except when we aren't. Peace._

* * *

Ruby's Journal: Entry 15

 _Okay, time to rethink everything._

 _Today in Professor Goodwitch's class, she said something that really got to me. She said that while we practice, or study, or really try anything new, we have a habit of falling back into the familiar. We, as people, are naturally afraid of new ideas, and when trying to fix our weaknesses, we'll usually abandon the cause to remind ourselves of our strengths in order to save our minds the embarrassment of ignorance. It's like when you study for a test and go over vocabulary, how you tend to spend a lot more time reminding yourselves of the terms you already know rather than focusing on studying what you don't understand. That spoke to me, partially because I love studying vocabulary, but I think it means something on a much bigger scale._

 _So, I've been thinking about how I can apply that knowledge to our team training. I've been mulling over what we've been doing these past few weeks, and really, it's mostly been the same thing over and over again. We practice and memorize the same techniques, and focus primarily on making sure we focus all of our energy on strengthening what we do best. But, I've been so obsessed with making sure our attacks our perfect that I haven't actually been fixing any of the underlying problems with our team. I'm pretty much useless outside of certain situations with my scythe. Weiss can't last long in one-on-one fights. Blake keeps going off on her own, and Yang's too temperamental and falling behind in her classes. Instead of trying to hide our weaknesses with our fight strategies, I realized I should be trying to eliminate these problems altogether, so we don't have to worry about them anymore. And yeah, I know that sounds super obvious, like, "Ruby, a five-year-old could tell you that you try to fix bad things instead of trying to ignore them," but it's a lot harder to put that into practice, okay? I'm under a lot of pressure!_

 _Here's the breakdown. I'm clearing out a few hours in our practice schedule to focus on weakening our weaknesses. And more importantly, I'm going to kill three birds in one stone. Blake has been refusing to cooperate as well as she should, and I'm pretty sure that if she just got a little more emotionally invested in the team, the effort she puts into fighting with us will increase dramatically. So, a few days a week, in the hour after our practice regimen, Blake is going to give Yang some tutoring in the classes she's falling behind is, and then on alternate days, Blake and Weiss will have a private combat sparring session for another hour. I call it the Blake Behavioral Strategy (BBS). Yang likes hanging out with Blake, so she might calm down a little during fights—not to mention she might pass the semester. Weiss gets to learn directly from someone much more experienced than her in direct combat. And best of all, since she has to spend more time with them, maybe Blake will actually get to know them a little better, and just maybe she won't feel the need to be alone all the time. Also, since it's more daily work for her, she might forego those nightly wandering sprees and decide to get more rest to compensate for the longer hours._

 _As for me, this girl is planning on hitting the school gym. I've always been built like a twig, so it's time for Ruby Rose to put on a little muscle mass. Soon, Yang'll have nothing on me. At least, I hope. Really, I'll just take getting to a point where I'm not out of breath walking up all those flights of steps to get to class every morning. All in all, I think the BBS is going to go swimmingly._

* * *

Blake's Notes: Entry 24

 _Ruby Rose can go choke on a thousand dicks._

* * *

Yang's Stuff: Entry 10

 _Hey, asshole who wrote in my journal! Can you not, please? I'm trying to take this thing somewhat seriously, and here you are just spamming messages in it for no goddamn reason. Is there really any logical reason to do this? At all? To me?_

 _And if you are going to break into my room and write in my journal, can you at least come up with something more original to say. YANG IS A SAD GIRL WHO NEEDS TO LOSE CONTROL is already a pretty boring sentence, but when you write nothing but that one sentence thirty times across two who pages, it kind of wears thin. At least come up with something salacious, you know? Make it fun for me to read._

 _This is ridiculous. I don't think anyone on my team did it. When I asked them about it, none of them seemed like they were lying. I don't think any of them would do something like that either. Weiss and Blake seem far more like the people who would just insult me to my face than go out of their way to do something weird like this. But then who else? Cardin, maybe? But then how did Cardin find a way to break into our room when none of us were around, bust open the combination lock on it, and why would he take his anger out like this? You'd think he'd at least sign his name or something egotistical, but there's nothing there. I'm considering taking this to Ozpin, but I don't really want him looking at my journal in the first place, and I also doubt he'd believe me. He might just think I'm doing this for attention, which I'm not. Seriously, I'm pissed off about this. I swear someone's getting hurt when I find out who they are._

* * *

Weiss's Diary: 16

 _I spoke with Pyrrha today for the first time since we were on a team together._

 _I bumped into her after lunch on the way back to my room. It was strange. We only talked for about a minute, but it gave me a lot to think about. She was very polite and kind the entire time, like always. She wasn't mad at me for anything that happened. I don't know why she would be, but when placed in unfamiliar circumstances, people can throw blame around at a lot of those who don't deserve it. She asked me how I was doing since joining RWBY, and I lied to her that I was doing great. I asked about how her new partner was, but she was rather vague about it. I know that Jaune Arc is on her team now—a worthless moron who stumbled his way onto the second best team in the class by absolute chance. You would think that might make Pyrrha irritated, having to put up with him, having to watch hi drag down all of her hard work. But she seemed fine with it. If she was angry or frustrated, she didn't show it. Maybe that's her secret. Maybe she just hides it. She could have been annoyed that she was speaking to me right then and there, but she knew how to hide it. Maybe that perfect smile is just a façade. I know a few people who would approve of that._

 _Come to think of it, I really never spent any time speaking to Pyrrha beforehand. The only times I had ever had a direct conversation with her were those few minutes at the inauguration party, and the few hours I spent between being placed on her team and being whisked away into the Emerald Forest. All the familiarity I think I have with her is just through osmosis, stories told by other students and faculty. Even then, I only ever knew her public image, the face she sold to magazines and television cameras. That's all she ever puts out. I remember clearly that when I was talking to her in our dorm for those brief few hours, Nora and Ren joining us, she would always talk in these grand, empty gestures. She would always smile and talk about how we were going to be a great team together, and she would constantly express gratitude for allowing her to work with us. It was almost artificial like every syllable had been carefully thought out beforehand so that she could ensure every word she said was absolutely perfect._

 _There's an old scar on my forearm that I liked to cover-up whenever I can because I don't want people looking at it. It's pointless to complain about it now, all things, considered. Pyrrha's skin is as perfect as the rest of her, but something tells me she understands the concept well. The need to hide the parts of you that are ugly are overwhelming, even when others may find them mundane and uninteresting. During the last of our tests, when each of us had to fight off the golems in front of the class, I remember that Pyrrha went last. She looked to be completely in her element walking down the steps to the bottom of the arena, smiling confidently to herself as she readied herself to fight. When the battle started, she dispatched the first golem with ease, and the students immediately began cheering her on. They became enraptured with her, and to be honest, how could they not be? Watching her fight was like art, the way she elegantly dismantled her foes one at a time, dodging every blow, dashing across the battlefield without effort. Everyone was watching her sword, her shield, her footwork, but I was the only one who seemed to be looking elsewhere. I was watching her eyes. Father once told me you could learn a lot about a person by watching their eyes. In the hallway, in our dorm, walking down the stairs, her eyes spoke of false sincerity and careful empathy. But when I saw her eyes in combat, I saw them true and alive. They were vicious, focused, manipulative, and—in a way—they were almost evil. That's the Pyrrha Nikos that exists somewhere, under the cover-up, past the bright smile and perfect skin. And for a moment when I was speaking to her today, I wondered if that Pyrrha was staring back at me._

 _I didn't say any of this to her or anyone. I told her that I was sad that we couldn't be on a team together, and she wished me well in my future classes, saying that she hoped we would talk again soon. She was very polite when she said goodbye to me as one would expect of her. Maybe I'm overthinking all of this. I might be paranoid, and this probably doesn't matter. But this is Vale we're talking about, where things are never quite as they seem, and everyone always seems like they have something to hide. I don't dislike Pyrrha. I don't think she's a bad person. Not even remotely. But I already have one person on my list of suspicions; adding another couldn't possibly hurt._


	22. A Discussion on the Nature of Religion

**Note: Hello, again. Yep, another update before the Volume 6 premiere. The truth was we were going to wait until the premiere to keep writing, but then the Volume 6 trailer came out and that got us back in a RWBY mood. This is a concept for a chapter we've had for a while but never knew where to put it, and we would really like to know what you think about it. More updates to come soon, but for now, enjoy.**

* * *

In the moment, it was just the two of them, ten meters apart, bathed in the cheap fluorescent glow of the lights above. Everything was still as they drew their weapons, waiting for the opportunity to strike. Weiss readjusted the grip on Myrtenaster as she held it close to her face, its pointed grip kissing the edges of her scarred face. She was nervous, judging by the manner in which she kept shifting her feet. She had a reason to be. It was their sixth bout of the night and the thirtieth total since the start of the week. And it didn't help that Blake was so nonchalant about the entire thing.

Naturally, that was Blake's intention, to stand with her weapons drawn but at attention, resting them by her hips. The intimidation factor was key. As a teacher, she was particularly cruel, and when a student was faced with difficulty overcoming a challenge, she cranked up the pressure. In real life, life wouldn't give an easy way out, so why should she? Considering that she had won the last twenty-nine fights, it seemed only natural to test Weiss's ability to remain calm despite her frustration. Making it look like she was above anything Weiss would throw at her was an excellent method. Plus, it got to make Weiss squirm, and there was always a distant pleasure in that.

But, of course, Blake wasn't very relaxed at all. They were still fighting each other, using very real and very dangerous weapons. Rubber tips and strips hardly mitigated the danger. There was always the chance something could go wrong. There was also the chance that she could lose, which kept Blake on edge. Weiss wasn't a complete amateur, and if Blake became overconfident and lost due to a stupid error she would never hear the end of it. For the sake of avoiding that possibility, Blake had to stay focused on the task at hand.

Rapiers were an interesting weapon. Back when Blake was still developing her skills in direct combat, there was a time where she became briefly intrigued by rapiers. Most of the people she knew trained in traditionally heavier weaponry: katanas, short swords, broadswords. Those who packed lighter usually went for daggers. The rapier was fascinating to her simply for its fidelity, the precision with which it had to be used. She attempted to train in one's style for about two weeks before abandoning it. She was younger and without patience, but she picked up on a few things. Primarily, rapiers were a piercing weapon. Myrtenaster was more of a hybrid, and Weiss could slash rather efficiently with it, but her first and foremost attack would be outward jab with the tip of the blade. Additionally, rapiers were meant to be wielded from a distance, meaning that if she blocked the attack, Weiss's first instinct would be to lunge backward and gain some space. Rapiers also were not very effective in defense against much heavier weapons such as Gambol Shroud, so Weiss's entire defensive playbook would be centered around dodging and riposting. Weiss was very good at those two things. Blake was better.

In the blink of an eye, the battle began. A glyph appeared underneath Weiss's feet, and she launched toward Blake, eyes narrowing in on her target. Blake only a moment to act. Weiss's blade was drawn back for a thrusting blow; the only question was where it was going to land. Ruby might have been able to perform some sort of analysis in the same situation, using all sort of behavior calculations to determine the most likely pinpoint location on her body Weiss would try to aim for. Blake couldn't be that accurate, but she didn't have to be. Weiss was lefthanded, and she would try to aim for the matching side of Blake's body. With ease, Blake crossed her arms and brought up her sheath as a shield, covering the majority of her right flank just in time for Weiss's opening attack to deflect harmlessly off of her weapon. She threw Weiss off of her without effort, watching the heiress flip away and recover, drawing back her sword for another thrust. She followed suit with three quick jabs which Blake deflected with ease, and then with a burst from her glyphs, she dashed across the room to catch herself.

Another charge? Blake was doubtful. Weiss was a bit too clever for her own good, never going back to the well if she could help it. If they were fighting for real, she would probably throw out a fireball or two to keep Blake on edge. Unfortunately for Weiss, they had ground rules, so she had to get creative, which usually meant going for one of her other favorite attacks: an elevated sideswipe from the opposite side. Sure enough, Wiess launched herself up in the air to Blake's left and bounced off another glyph to throw herself quickly towards the ground. By that point, the fight was pretty much over. Blake quickly grabbed the cord at the end of her blade and pulled it taut around her fingers, and when Weiss came down for a vicious swipe, Blake merely vanished into smoke and reappeared behind her, snagging Weiss's ankle with her cord, causing her to tumble down and hit face first against the ground. From there, Blake tied up Weiss's leg with her own, and twisted sharply on the cord, bending the high-heeled foot at an uncomfortable angle. Blake was aware that parts of Weiss weren't real—whether they were entirely artificial or mere reinforcements, she had no way of telling. But she discovered in the past few days that they had their weak spots, and Weiss was very capable of feeling when they were toyed with. In a matter of seconds, Weiss was tapping out against Blake's thigh, and the gothic one released her, brushing herself as she rose to her feet.

"You know, the point of training is that you're supposed to get better," Blake said tiredly. It was a bit embarrassing by that point. Their thirtieth fight had lasted all of thirty seconds. It was shorter than average, but not by much. It had always mildly interested her how quick fights seemed to end. In the movies, fights were always dragged out as long as possible to savor the emotional drama of the battle. One could watch the hero and villain struggle for twenty minutes, the balance of power shifting back and forth as they narrowly avoided fatal blows. In real life, nothing was that elegant. Fights were punctual, violent clashes where the slightest fuck-up would bring about one's end before they even realized it. In that sense, Blake shouldn't have felt embarrassed for Weiss. In every other sense, it was _very_ embarrassing.

"I think we should take a break," Weiss groaned as she stood up and stretched her sore leg. Blake shrugged and walked over to the thermos she kept by the wall.

"Whatever you say. When you want to start back up again, let me know," she said easily, taking a long sip of ice water. Weiss soon grabbed her own beverage and downed it all in go, rubbing her aching muscles afterward. Blake had no idea how she managed to get by without an aura to subconsciously heal her; the heiress must have had a lot of sore nights in bed. She wondered if there was a stash of pain meds kept somewhere in Weiss's belongings, some Atlassian drug of which she never heard. She would have to check for herself later when the time was right.

Minutes passed in silence before, for some strange reason, Weiss decided to speak up. "So… where do you come from, Blake?"

Blake shook her head. Was that small talk? Now, of all times? One of the nice things about practicing with Weiss was that the two didn't have to speak to each other. Beating up a Schnee and sitting in silence were Blake's two favorite things, and the thought of losing one of those two wonderful things was more than she would care to think about. So, she said nothing, taking another sip of water, hoping that Weiss would get disinterested.

"Hello? Blake? I'm talking to you."

Dammit. "Why are you asking?"

"I'm just trying to strike up a conversation," Weiss explained nonchalantly.

"That's what I meant. Why are you trying to strike up a conversation?" Blake asked, hiding her irritation through pursed lips.

"I can't talk to you? That's forbidden now?" Weiss asked dismissively.

"You can talk to me when you learn how to fight."

"There's no need to be so uptight. We've known each other for over a month now, and I feel like I barely know anything about you. I mean, we eat together, train together, study together—plus, I pretty much see you in your underwear every single day."

"And I look damn good, don't I?" Blake smirked.

"My point is that I think we've hit a point in our relationship where you can answer basic questions about yourself without acting like a complete bitch."

"Do I have to?"

"It would make our training sessions a lot more palatable if we actually tolerated each other," Weiss noted. "And it might convince me to work harder. And, the harder I work, the sooner I improve, and the sooner you no longer have to train me."

Blake rolled her eyes. The heiress had a slick tongue. Well, slicker than expected. Blake knew she didn't have to answer, but at the fear of Weiss prodding and poking her until she morphed into a second Yang, the shadow girl relented.

"Fine. Prism. I'm from Prism," Blake groaned, sliding down the back wall until she was seated on the floor.

"The crystal city?" Weiss asked curiously.

"Yep. That's Prism. Big and full of crystal. Hence the name."

"How long did you live there?"

"Pretty much all my life," Blake shrugged.

"What was your favorite part about living there?"

"Never having to see a Schnee."

"Okay, you don't want to talk about it," Weiss grumbled. "How about something else: your family. Do you have any siblings?"

"Nope. Only child. Glad to be one, too. It seems like a hassle."

"That's too bad," Weiss said softly. She paused momentarily. "I have two siblings."

"I've heard."

"Winter and Whitley. Older sister, younger brother."

"Yeah. I've heard."

"They're all right. We have our issues, but I guess all families are a bit dysfunctional, aren't they? Do you have any problems with your parents?"

"None that I'd like to talk about with you."

Weiss sighed. "You aren't very good at conversations."

"You aren't very good at asking questions," Blake retorted. "You almost done? Because it's amazing how boring these last two minutes have been."

"You know, Blake, there's something that I've noticed about you," Weiss stated, crossing her arms. "For someone so snarky and resilient, you have this incredible tendency to act like a coward."

Blake stirred, rising to her feet. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly what you think it means," Weiss said unabashedly. "I was a bit misleading to say that only _I've_ noticed it about you. Everyone has. It's very difficult not to. You don't really stand for anything. If someone insults you, you'll scratch and claw and sneer at them, but then you always turn and walk away before anything serious happens. And it's not you showing restraint either, because you're just a tad too spiteful for that. Then there's all the disappearing in the middle of the night, sneaking off on your own to sabotage Team CRDL without telling us… hell, sneak attacking people in the middle of battle, as well. Your own Semblance causes you to vanish, and I'm sure you know what they say about the connection between Semblances and personality."

"Hasn't that theory been discredited?" Blake moaned.

"Not that I'm aware of," Weiss continued. "My point is that you don't act in a way very befitting of a Huntress. You act like a coward. If you're going to keep training me, I would like you to be better. That's all I have to say about that."

"That's all you have to say?" Blake asked, confused. "Wait, were you just pretending to try to get to know me just so you'd have an excuse to air your grievances?"

"What? No," Weiss said sternly. "I do want to get to know you. It was just that I always wanted to say that to you, and the way you were dismissing me before reminded me. I wasn't lying to you. I don't lie."

"Really?" Blake snickered. " _You_ don't lie?" The absurdity of the statement cooled her anger, even as Weiss huffed and turned her head in frustration.

"No. I don't lie," Weiss insisted. "Sometimes I keep certain matters private, but I can't think of a single time I've ever been dishonest with anyone. Stop snickering."

"It's just a funny thing to say that you don't lie when you're a literal Decem Luna follower," Blake suggested. Weiss's eyes narrowed.

"What does _that_ have to do with anything?" she muttered.

"I really don't have to explain it."

"I don't ever lie about my faith, Blake," Weiss claimed forcefully. "Just because you're a godless woman doesn't mean you get to insult me for what I believe."

"Whoa, whoa," Blake shook her head, "whoever said that I was godless?"

"Are you not?' Weiss asked, suspicious. "You've always given off a 'militant atheist' vibe."

"Well, I wouldn't say militant. You have to care to be militant," Blake stated, taking a few paces towards the center of the room. She found a nice open space and began to stretch out her calves, readying herself for their eventual rematch.

"But you are an atheist, then, correct?" questioned Weiss intently. Blake groaned as she pushed her legs as far apart as they could go.

"I guess. Do you really have a problem with that?"

"Of course not," Weiss said determinedly. "But I've never actually met an atheist before, not to my knowledge, at least. I've always had a lot of questions for them."

Weiss's accusatory tone rang hard in Blake's ears. The heiress wanted a debate, didn't she? The Faith of Decem Luna was a religion of imperialism, always seeking to grow and conquer other ideologies. It was only natural that Weiss would want to challenge her on her views; she had already lost several battles that day, but through her faith, she thought she could win something, anything at all of the most insignificant value. It was fine by her. If the Schnee wanted Blake to be a fighter, so be it. It wasn't as if she also didn't have a lot to say on the matter.

"What exactly do you want to know?" Blake asked, throwing just enough shade in her voice to lead Weiss further in. She took a seat in the middle of the room, cross-legged, practically inviting Weiss to stand over her.

"Well," Weiss stammered momentarily, "how in the world do you expect to be a good person?"

"I don't follow."

"In the Faith, we have clear guidelines on how we're supposed to act," Weiss explained. "There's a rather clear differentiation between moral right and wrong, laid out in tens of thousands of words of text, granted to us by divinity. But if you don't believe that any of that's real, how are you supposed to know how to act? How can you possibly tell what's the right thing to do?"

"Um… follow the golden rule? Do what my parents tell me?" Blake retorted.

"But how do they know what's right? How could you expect any human authority to make that judgment?"

"Look, Weiss, it's really not that hard to explain," Blake said calmly. "If you want to help someone, do it. If you want to hurt someone, don't. Basically, don't be a dick, and you'll turn out okay."

"So, you're basically saying that you make these decisions entirely off of how you feel about them?"

"Pretty much."

"Then you're bound to run into failure," Weiss claimed. "If you aren't making judgments based off any objective truth, you're going to apply your morals inconsistently. You'll constantly run into situations in which you won't be able to delineate which action is correct because there is nothing to guide you except your own flawed mind. If I'm faced with a moral dilemma, I always have an answer; I always know what action to take because my system of beliefs is clear."

"Your system of beliefs is also bullshit," Blake noted. "There is no such thing as an objective truth. There's no objective anything. The universe doesn't care about what moral choices we make. It's a dark, empty void with no will or opinions. Every decision we make is based on stupid, subjective self-centered judgments, and no excuses are going to change that."

"I'm sorry, but you're mistaken," Weiss corrected her. "My moral judgments aren't subjective. I'm a strict follower of the Faith, and Their wishes are enacted through me."

"Okay, can I ask you something then?" Blake questioned. "How do the gods know what's right and wrong? If their morality is supposed to be objective, completely factual in and of itself, how did they come up with it?"

"They're divine," Weiss said plainly. "They just know it."

"Okay, but that doesn't answer the question," Blake pushed further. "They had to get it from somewhere. I know the Decem Luna gods aren't omniscient, which means they don't have absolute total knowledge of everything. The reason you think your morality is right is that the gods told you it was right, but what told them that it was right?"

"Nothing told them," Weiss explained. "As I said, they're divine. There is no authority greater than them."

"Exactly, which means that they had to create the concept of morality themselves. There was nothing greater for them to gain wisdom from," Blake continued. "And if they created morality themselves, that means that, in the end, your morality is just what some god _thought_ the best morality should be. It was their opinion. It was subjective. Just like my morality. The only reason you treat theirs with more respect is that they're up there and I'm down here and forgive me, but I don't think that something becomes true because some magical, made-up thing says it is."

"Do you really not believe in anything greater than yourself?" asked Weiss.

"Oh, I believe in _plenty_ of things greater than myself," Blake stated. "I just don't like any of them telling me what to do."

"So, _that's_ it," Weiss said smugly. "The reason why you're not religious isn't because of any logic or rationale, but because you're just disobedient. You're apathetic."

"Why can I have I both ways?" Blake asked. "I know my own way forward, and I don't need to lose my free will following some backward creed in order to prove it."

"Having Faith isn't about abandoning freewill," Weiss clarified. "It's about acknowledging that you're imperfect and that you can better yourself."

"I am very aware of my flaws, thank you," Blake said, relaxed. "Again, don't need anyone telling me."

"Are you so sure about that?" Weiss asked. "Do you really think you can ever hope to know yourself? Let me explain something to you. The Faith of Decem Luna isn't just a code teaching you what to love and what to hate. It's a message for how to live your life with an actual purpose behind it. These two pendants on my neck have taught me everything I need to know about my past and my future. When I pray before I go to sleep, I'm not doing it to stay in Their good graces. I'm doing it because I'm thankful to Them for showing me my path in life, for guiding me forward. They've shown me where I belong, and without Them, I would be nothing, hopeless and lost. You can mock Them all you want, and you can laugh at me, but at the end of the day, I'm going through each and every day knowing that my life has _meaning_ , and that will be more than you could ever hope to possess."

Blake smirked, rising to her feet. She placed a loving hand on Weiss's shoulder. "Aw, you're just like Ruby and her fairy tales. I know my meaning in life, too. I'm going to eat, sleep, and work for something I don't believe in until one day soon, while out on a mission, someone will shoot me from behind and kill me before I even know what's happening. If you think you found life's meaning, you made a mistake. Life has no meaning, Weiss. The sooner you accept that the sooner you can let some of that apathy wash away your problems."

Weiss sneered, brushing Blake's hand away. "What a sad, depressing life you must have."

Blake shrugged. "Hey, don't feel bad for me. My legs are real."

Weiss scowled, and then immediately went to pack up her weapon. "I think our training is done for today."

Blake threw her arms in the air, feigning surrender. She snatched up her belongings hastily, and then turned away without hesitation, walking to the big double doors that stood at the room's end. "Same time tomorrow. Try to win a fight next time." The shadow girl pushed her way through the entrance before she could hear Weiss's retort, but she did not care. Their session was over, which meant her allotted time to care was over. Maybe Weiss would go to bed that night thinking about their little discussion. Maybe she would stop in the moments before she prayed and think her actions over. She doubted it. Decem Luna held its followers in a vice grip, and the notion that any of her ideas could crack through Weiss's thick skull was beyond the realm of possibility. With a yawn, Blake turned to go back to their dorm, only to be suddenly cut off, much to her surprise, by a giant mass of blonde hair jumping out in front of her, attached to an extremely overzealous grin.

"Hey, best friend!" Yang shouted with joy, placing her hands on her hips. "You ready for study time?"

"What are you doing here, Yang?" Blake asked with suspicion.

"I just told you, it's study time!" Yang said excitedly.

"We had a study session yesterday. Today's an off-day," Blake reminded her.

"Yeah, but we have a History test tomorrow, and guess who has no idea what the material says?" Yang asked overenthusiastically.

"Let me guess… you?"

"That's right!" Yang said with a wink and a nod. "And guess who's going to spend all night cramming with me?"

Blake sighed. "Me?"

"That's my girl!" Yang shouted, jumping next to Blake and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, you can quiz me while we walk back."

Blake felt a minor urge to smash her head against the wall. "Sure. Let's go."

The two began their long stride back, Yang's powerful arm holding them together. The firecracker had likely already resigned herself to fate, and the study session would probably be fruitless, but Blake knew she was never going to hear the end of it from Ruby if she didn't at least try to get Yang's grades up. As the two strolled forth, Yang noticed the emptiness in the air and decided to fill it with pointless conversation.

"So, how did Weiss's training go?"

"Fine. It was training."

"Did she win?"

"No, she lost every time," Blake said tiredly. "But, we did end up having a discussion on the nature of religion."

"Ooh, exciting," said Yang.

"Yeah, not really," Blake muttered. "Hey, can I ask you something? Do you think that a person's morality is just an extension of their subjective viewpoints, or do you think it is defined by some greater, objective truth about the nature of Humanity?"

"Well, I don't know what half those words mean," Yang said honestly. "I haven't been to church in, like, three years, so whatever version of hell exists out there, I'm definitely going to it."


	23. A Discussion on the Nature of Friendship

**Note: Thank you for all the nice comments on the last chapter. We probably won't upload for another week or two (unless we do), so instead, you have time to actually watch Volume 6 for yourselves. This chapter is a direct continuation from the last, and next time, we're going to focus on some characters who haven't gotten nearly enough love yet, so enjoy.**

* * *

"So, that's what you had a conversation about? Regis," Yang said questioningly, her hands stuffed into her pockets.

"Dominicus. And yeah. It was bad," Blake stated. The corridor was quiet at that time of night; during the day, it would be filled with dozens of student bustling to their classes, but at the moment, it was just the two of them. Fate intended for Blake to be with others that night, even if she didn't believe in it. "The major export that the Vacuose government used as an excuse for the Caccadin intrusion?"

"Opium."

"Sugar," Blake corrected her. "Why opium?"

"People like opium," Yang said defensively. "Man, it's a good thing I never bothered with that stuff, or debates in general. I feel like no matter what side I took I wouldn't be able to keep up."

"It's a skill that requires practice. Thankfully, I've made a habit out of arguing with people. What document was signed to end the War of Spades?"

"Oh, that's the Treaty of Manapichin," said Yang confidently. "I know that one because it sounds like 'man-picking', and you know I love pickin' some men."

"Of course," Blake nodded.

"But yeah, religion is one of those things that I don't ever touch," Yang explained as the pair came to a flight of stairs. "Every time someone starts talking about it, it just drains the energy out of the room."

"Not a believer yourself?"

"Eh, it's a thing," Yang said emptily, taking the lead. "Mom was a bit more spiritual, but since she died, we've mainly kept it up out of habit. Like I said, no church in three months, and before that, five months. I've got more important things to worry about, like Manapichin."

"I'm surprised you don't care more about it," said Blake. "I mean, not to be touchy, but wasn't your mom _killed_ by Decem Luna? What's the name of the boundary set up by the Treaty of Manapichin?"

"The Forty… Second Straight? My mom was killed by Atlas, and that's something you'd probably be better talking to Ruby about. Not that I don't care…"

"Right, but in essence, they're the same thing. Decem Luna is the official religion of the state, and dissidents are punished through fines and imprisonment. They had a minister watching over her execution. Also… no."

"Dammit. But yeah, you're going to want to talk to Ruby about that," Yang suggested, bounding up the steps two at a time. "I try to keep those things separate. If I have too much occupying the same headspace then I feel like I start confusing them. So, I guess that specifically doesn't bother me all that much."

"It really doesn't bother you at all how apologetic Weiss is about it?" Blake asked sincerely.

"It bothers you?" Yang said with surprise, rounding a sharp turn. "I thought you weren't bothered by anything?"

"No, I'm bothered by _everything_ ," Blake clarified. "But yes, Weiss and her family are complicit in a lot of their Kingdom's shitty behavior. Their religion is complicit even more so. They have enough blood on their hands to fill an ocean, but does she call it out? No. Instead, she starts poking and prodding me, trying to drain everything out of me like a syringe, while defending herself to the death with empty rhetoric."

"Aren't you doing a bit of guilt by association here?"

"When you're willing to be associated with monsters, you can't get mad when people start to think that you're one."

Yang sighed and took a pause halfway up the stairwell, turning to her friend and leaning against the railing for support. "You know, it sounds like this issue runs a lot deeper than a bad debate."

"No shit."

"Look, I don't like Atlas anymore than the next person. They're a bunch of fascist assholes trying to take over the world. Who wouldn't hate them? Same with Decem Luna. But I think that you're displacing your anger, and I think that's been sort of turning you into a… well…"

"Into what?" Blake asked snidely, crossing her arms.

"Well… like an ultra-huge bitch," Yang said earnestly. "You get really mean and dismissive of people, and recently, it's kind of getting out of hand, especially when it comes to Weiss. Mocking her for her religion, or laughing at her because of her illness aren't exactly cool things to do."

"You're really upset that I'm not nicer to her," Blake said in disbelief. "You feel bad for a Schnee—a _Schnee_. Her lipstick is worth more than your entire house, and you actually feel bad for her."

"Here's what I know," Yang explained quickly. "People are products of their environment. She didn't get to choose what Kingdom she grew up in, or whose money she inherited, or what religion she had to follow, or any of that. And, she definitely didn't have any say in the bad shit that her family did. She's just a teenager like the rest of us. She's defending those things because that's probably all she knows. And yeah, she can be super stuck-up at times, and very petty, and hateful, and also probably a little racist, but since we've been on a team together, she's been making an effort to get _better_. She doesn't insult us as much, she's always cooperative during training, and she's trying to get to know us better, so we can actually be friends. She's got a long way to go, sure. I mean, a long, long way to go, but you've got to admit, that's something worth admiring."

"I'm glad you're able to pretend nothing's wrong because she learned how to be polite to you," Blake sneered, unimpressed, "but unfortunately, I can't do that. Not with her. I've seen too much to do that, Yang. You don't know me." She shoved past the blonde on the stairwell, her pace quickening as she climbed higher into the castle tower, but Yang hurried after her.

"That's part of the problem! I can't know anything about you! You refuse to open up!" Yang declared. "See, Blake, it's like walking in a circle with you. Whenever someone tries to reason with you, you say that they don't know you, so you refuse to talk with them. But then, when someone tries to learn more about you, you just get mad at them for even trying. It's like you actively want everyone to be stuck hating you."

"Not inaccurate," Blake muttered, emerging from the stairwell and marching on ahead. Yang leaped after her, but after taking a few steps, she paused and checked her surroundings. She had been so distracted following Blake that she failed to notice where she was being led.

"Uh… I'm pretty sure our dorm is on the floor below us," Yang said awkwardly.

"We're not going to the dorm," Blake said, walking straight ahead. "Weiss is going to be there, and I'm really not in the mood to talk to her again. Not today. I need to clear my head."

"Where are you going?"

"You'll see. Don't fall behind."

Blake took off soon afterward, her legs taking over for her mind. How many times had she explored that castle in full? Four times in total, if she recalled correctly, which was an impressive feat given its gargantuan size. It was for those reasons that she moved so naturally through its halls, swiftly turning corners and swinging past statues and décor. Yang was barely able to keep up with her, despite being faster, and by the time Yang stopped to catch her breath, Blake had already jumped out of a nearby window and was busy scaling the side of the castle with her grappling hook. Yang poked her head out of the windowsill, and upon seeing her study buddy twenty feet above her, she looked down at her feet in contemplation, wondering what the hell she was doing with her Wednesday nights.

Climbing the castle wasn't that hard for Yang. That didn't necessarily mean it was easy. Blake at least had a rope, while Yang had to rely solely on good old-fashioned core strength. With a boost from her Aura, it wasn't very challenging; she could scale fifty feet in around a minute. The biggest problem two problems were the lack of lighting due to the sun having faded an hour prior, and of course, the bottomless pit of death that waited to greet her if she slipped and fell. Blake had long since vanished from view, climbing onto an outcropping that extended out from just below the height of the tower. It wasn't likely that she would hear her if she fell, and that meant no rescue. Although, if Yang was honest to herself, Blake probably wouldn't come to save her regardless. Cursing under her breath, Yang forced herself up the rest of the wall, eventually crawling onto the same terrace and gazing out on the world beneath.

It was a view unlike any other. They were almost as high as they could be, and the actual stone platform was barely wider than their own dorm, and yet, exposed freely to the open air and the brilliant starry sky, staring out upon an endless world beneath, the wind blowing against her back, she felt uncaged, like the world's shackles had finally been taken off. Up to her left, on the only section of the castle taller than them, awaited the dragon, watching out in the sky, ever vigilant. The platform wasn't connected to any other part of the building, meaning no one would stumble across her and Blake, who was sitting at the edge of the terrain, staring out into nothingness, feet dangling in the open air. Yang hesitated for a moment, careful to maintain her footing, before she carefully made her way to Blake's side, sitting next to her on the edge of the void.

"So, this is the place where you run off to all the time," Yang said understandingly.

"One of them," Blake corrected her. "But it's the nicest. I discovered it shortly after we arrived here. It must have been some kind of architectural mistake, or it was leftover from something else that used to be here."

"Not exactly easy to reach," Yang moaned.

"Which means it's perfect when I need to take a break from everything," Blake stated. "No classmates, no professors… just me and the sky. Alone together."

Yang pulled up her knees, hugging them close to her chest. "Hey, Blake? Can I ask you a sincere question?"

"I guess I can't avoid it," Blake shrugged.

"Why do you like being alone so much?"

"Why do you like being around people so much?" Blake responded. "I can't stand people. People are angry and stupid, and selfish, and they do nothing but cause problems for themselves and the world around them."

"But people are also fun and kind, right?" Yang added. "I mean, they're the ones who can love and care about you."

"They're also the only ones who can hurt you," Blake said solemnly.

"You sound like you have some experience with that."

"More than I'd like to live with."

"So, let's talk about it," Yang said encouragingly. "That's what I'm trying to get you to do, Blake. I can't fix what's bothering you if you keep acting like this. Friends let friends help each other."

"We're not friends."

"Well, why aren't we?" Yang asked purposefully. "I do care about you. You may not believe it, but I really do. I don't like going about my life knowing that there is someone who doesn't like me just because they didn't give me a chance. I want to be friends with pretty much everyone. That's the way we're going to get through this world together, right? Being friends with each other? And since you're part of everyone, that means I want to be friends with you."

"If you really knew me, you wouldn't want to be."

"Try me," Yang demanded. "Seriously, what could you have actually done to make me hate you? What atrocities are so bad that I wouldn't be able to take it?"

Blake had no response She turned her head away, and the conversation was over. Yang breathed a heavy sigh. The shadow girl was being stubborn, but not impossible. She knew Blake must have wanted it somehow. Why would she bring her up to her secret hangout if she wasn't trying to open up? But part of her was still resisting, and Yang knew that if she wanted to move forward, she would have to find a way to break through.

"Do you… know why Ruby and I have different last names?" Yang asked timidly.

"Hmm?"

"Because you know our last names aren't the same. Ruby _Rose_. Yang _Xiao Long_."

"No. I had no idea," Blake said dryly.

"Well, Ruby and I are actually half-sisters," Yang explained thoughtfully. "Back when our dad was younger, he was training at Beacon to become a Huntsman. He was on a team, just like us. One of his teammates was Summer Rose, Ruby's mom. You've heard of her for… you know, reasons. One of his other teammates, though, was this woman named Raven. Raven Branwen. My mom."

"Ooh. Drama."

"It was. Sort of," Yang chuckled. "My dad was apparently a bit of a heartbreaker. During his first year at Beacon, he was dating Professor Goodwitch, back when she was just Glynda. They dated for a few months, but all the while Raven kept getting closer to him. It probably had something to do with sharing a living space. Anyway, Raven was pretty wild, and one day at the end of the semester, when they were supposed to be studying for finals, she pulls him into a public bathroom and they end up fooling around in a bathroom stall."

"How do you know this?" Blake asked, suspicious.

"Dad gets pretty open when he drinks," Yang said calmly.

"That sounds disgusting."

"It's actually _hilarious_ ," Yang insisted. "So, yeah, Dad breaks up with Glynda, and he starts dating Raven, and they get in a relationship for close to a decade. They graduate at the top of their class and take government jobs up at the northern border, hunting bandits and kicking ass. Summer went off on her own for a bit, and my uncle was always a loner, so for a long time, they basically traveled Vale as the ultimate Huntsman power couple. They never got married and never stayed in one place long, but they liked it. Dad loves talking about that time a lot when he's drunk. Really, you should listen to him tell stories. He's got a bunch. Like one time—"

"Does this have a point?" Blake asked impatiently.

Yang took a deep breath, her voice lowering. "But, after a few years, my dad started to notice that Raven had… well, _problems_. She was always kind of wild and rough around the edges, but a few years into their relationship, she started acting weird. She would wake up in the middle of the night screaming, she would have blackouts and fits of anger, she would start whispering to herself, and worst, after a while, she would act like she heard people talking to her. People that weren't there. At first, he really didn't think anything of it, until one day, he caught her pulling out her fingernails with a pair of tweezers. That scared him enough to finally take her to a hospital, and after the doctors examined her, they figured out that her Semblance was causing her to develop a sort of manic schizophrenia, and that every time she used it, it would gradually wear down her psyche until she would completely lose her mind. The only way to stop it was for her to stop using her Semblance anymore, but she refused the doctor's advice because she didn't want to give up on her life."

"So, I'm taking this doesn't end well," Blake noted.

"As the years passed, the schizophrenia gave way to dissociative identity disorder, and then a whole bunch of problems. The whispers turned to screams, and eventually, she would develop these violent outbursts. It got really bad. One time, she stabbed my dad in the arm with a pair of scissors repeatedly, and the next day, she couldn't even remember doing it. Still, she had her good days, and my dad promised to stay by her. Then, when she got pregnant, they decided to finally try to settle down. They bought a house, and he took a break from Huntsmanning to take up a teaching position at Signal Academy. During the pregnancy, she was mostly normal, and my dad thought that maybe having a kid would be enough to break through to her. And then… she actually gave birth to me. And she lost it. The trauma of the childbirth must have triggered something in her mind. She fought her way out of the hospital, attacking the doctors and nurses, trying to claw at me and tear me apart. She broke her way out of the building and was taken in by the authorities, my dad watching from out the window as I cried in his arms. I'm not sure what happened to her since. I thought I overheard my dad once on the phone saying she broke her way out and was hiding out in Mistral with some bandits, but… I don't know where she is now, or if she ever got better."

"Nope. Doesn't end well. How'd I know?" Blake sighed.

"Eventually, Summer came back to help raise me," Yang finished. "My dad reached out to her a few years back after Raven's diagnosis. The two had always been pretty close, so she didn't mind when my dad asked for her help. She was the one who really looked after me, and she never seemed to mind. After hanging around my dad for a bit, I guess she got the lovebug, and they ended up hooking up and getting married, and then a year later, out popped Ruby, and the rest is history."

"Okay, wonderful story," Blake said plainly. "Can I ask you a question now?"

"Sure."

"What does any of that have to do with anything?"

"Well, think about it from Summer's perspective," Yang said carefully. "She had nothing to do with me, and I had nothing to do with her. But she decided to love and care for me regardless of where I came from, or the circumstances of my birth, or what my mother did. She openly gave herself to me and we were able to bond, and maybe if you open up, you can push past all of the other stuff that doesn't matter and learn to care about the rest of us."

Blake remained silent for a long moment. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, allowing herself to become momentarily lost in thought. Yang watched her in anticipation, wondering if she was witnessing an actual breakthrough, or just another barrier being put up to spite her. Finally, Blake turned to her, and looked her directly in the eye, speaking truthfully.

"That was the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard in my entire life."

Yang blinked. "No, it wasn't."

"Was that seriously the point you were trying to get at this entire time?" Blake asked in shock.

"Yeah. It's a good point!" Yang said defensively.

"You decide to tell me your mom's whole life story, going on for like ten whole minutes, and the entire time it was just a big analog for how I should be nice because… Summer was cool to you despite not being your mom? Or she was cool to you even though your mom was crazy? Is that what you're saying?"

"Well, yeah," Yang explained, "like how you shouldn't be mad at Weiss for something she didn't do. You should be friends?"

"So this is related to the Weiss thing, then?" Blake asked, scratching her head. "But why would Summer treat you like I treat Weiss? You were a baby. She wouldn't blame you—this is just a terrible analogy. I have no idea what point you're trying to get at."

"It's super obvious! How can you be confused?"

"You're conflating twelve different things with each other," Blake explained frantically. "Why did you feel the need to tell me all of that stuff with your mom. Seventy percent of that didn't have to be in that story. You were just wasting time."

"I was making a wonderful point, and you know it," Yang said smugly. Blake rolled her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Ugh… I'm never going to convince you, am I?"

"Nope. Never."

"God, you're just like Ilia," Blake muttered.

"Ilia? Who's Ilia?" Yang gasped excitedly, leaning in closer. "Is she someone from your past? Are you finally opening up to me?"

"Calm down." Blake brushed her away. "Ilia was my best friend back home. We've known each other since we were little. It's just that thing you said… it made me think of how she used to act. She was always the bold one. Friendly and talkative, and nice. Really nice to everyone. And headstrong. Once she was sure she wanted to do something it was hard to talk her out of it."

"She sounds like my kind of lady," Yang stated. "But, uh, I noticed you said she _was_ your best friend. Did something happen?"

Blake let out a deep breath. "Yeah. She broke my heart."

"That sounds like a story."

"One I'm not telling you."

"Oh, come on. Please?" Yang begged. "I told you my sad life story."

"This isn't a trade," Blake groaned. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Did she lie to you about something?"

"It's complicated."

"Was there a boy involved?"

"I'm not saying."

"Was he cute?"

"Not talking about it."

"Oh, he must have been super cute."

"You know, it'd be really easy to push you right now."

"Okay, okay, jeez. I'm just teasing you," Yang said, backing off. "It's fine that you don't want to talk about it. I told you about my mom because it was something I felt comfortable telling you. If you don't feel the same way, I'm not going to force you into doing anything. Just, can you _please_ consider opening up more? Pretty please? I know it's hard for you, but I'm more than willing to give you all the time you need. Baby steps."

Blake moaned. "Fine. But only if you promise to keep this place's location between the two of us. I still want a place to myself every now and again."

"Deal. But you do know that this is pretty much our new study location, right?"

"Why do you think I brought you here? I'm too irritated in the dorms, and you're too loud for the library. Speaking of studying, the Mistran King who enacted the Heartfell Act was?"

"Um… King Jeffery the… Fourth?"

"Wow. You actually got it."

"Really?"

"No."

* * *

In the moment, it was just the two of them, ten meters apart, bathed in the cheap fluorescent glow of the lights above. Blake studied her opponent as she carefully adjusted her footing, her weapon shifting in her grip. Another day, another battle between them. Odds were that it was going to be like that between the two of them forever, dancing and fighting and improving their skills until there was nothing else left to master. Weiss readied herself, raising her weapon to signal the beginning of their fight. One more attempt from the Ice Queen to prove she had what it took. Thirty matches and thirty losses later, she was still just as ready to attack, her breathing just as calm and precise, her aim true. She hadn't let their past encounter affect her in the slightest; if anything, it just made her that much more determined to earn a victory.

That scar on her eye, the metal connected deeply to her bones and joints—they probably hurt more than she realized. Her body had likely been torn open and stitched back together too many times to count, and yet, there she was, standing perfectly still, unfazed by anything. If she lost that fight, which was entirely likely, she probably wouldn't make excuses, or ask for Blake to go easier on her or complain to Ruby about an unfair challenge. She wouldn't scale a castle to avoid a simple conversation.

Blake hesitated.

"You'll have a much easier time defending yourself if you actually put up your guard," Weiss informed her.

Blake nodded. But, as she went to adjust her stance, she reconsidered and sheathed her blade. "Hey, before we fight, can we talk for a second?"

Talk? Blake asking to talk? The request caught Weiss off guard. Was she playing a trick? It could have been part of her strategy, convincing her to lower her defenses so she could hit her with a sneak attack. Weiss wouldn't put it beneath her.

"What about?" Weiss asked, unmoving. Just to be careful.

"Our chat the other day," Blake said cautiously. The words burned her tongue as they flowed from her lips. "I'm… _sorry_ that I was so flippant when you were trying to ask me things. I had a rough past, and I don't like to think about it much."

"Understandable," Weiss said succinctly. "We all have things we'd like to forget."

"Right. And also," Blake added, "I'm sorry if our debate got a little too intense. Insulting you was probably a step too far."

"People have said far worse to me," Weiss stated. "Besides, it was an enlightening conversation. You actually managed to answer a lot of my questions, which if I remember correctly, was exactly what I wanted from you in the first place."

"See, it all worked out in the end," Blake said blankly. Weiss, however, smirked with all the satisfaction in the world.

"Oh, it did more than work out," she suggested. "I managed to learn quite a bit about you, Blake Belladonna. For someone who claims not to care, it's fascinating how much you're willing to divulge by prodding at your emotions. Not only did I learn so much about your beliefs, but also how you behave when threatened. When I was six, my combat trainer taught me a very important lesson. Know your enemy, and you will know how they fight. Know how they fight, and you can beat them."

"That sounds like a challenge," Blake said, drawing her sword, enticed by the Schnee's words of determination. Weiss tightened her grip and passed her blade in front of her face. "What are you waiting for? Let's go."

And thus, Weiss was off, launching forward towards Blake with a righteous fury. Her motions were the same as the day before, but she seemed faster, more accurate. Blake's reactions were instinctual. It was common sense for Weiss to attack Blake's right, and so she crossed her arms to deflect, just as she had done the day before. Weiss collided with her, and for a moment their blades crossed, stuck together as Blake prepared for Weiss to back away and gain some distance.

Instead, Blake noticed a subtle glow coming from below and glanced at the floor just in time to notice the glyph materializing beneath her feet. Without warning, Blake was thrown backward, Weiss continuing to push forward, trying to sneak her blade past Blake's defenses. The pair came to a screeching halt several meters down from where they started, and it was only then that Weiss pulled away, and started taking quick, yet vicious swipes at Blake's neck. Blake countered the attacks as best as she could, briefly stunned by the heiress's newly discovered intensity. After blocking four strikes, Blake lunged forward with a long attack of her own, but Weiss flipped out of the way, quicker than Blake thought she should have. Quicker than she _definitely_ should have. Weiss was supposed to gain some more distance between them next. It was what she did in every single encounter. It was what the fundamentals would require her to do. Instead, she lunged forward again, throwing even more weight behind her strike, enough to knock Blake away in a brief flash of panic.

The heiress had completely changed her demeanor overnight. It was as if she was fighting a different person. There was no way she could have gotten that much better in such a short period of time. Had Blake simply gotten complacent in her abilities? No. It had to be something else. Something Weiss said. Knowing how to beat her. But that wouldn't explain her speed or ferocity, unless, of course, the Schnee had been holding back on her.

Blake had less than a second to gather her thoughts before Weiss was on her again, unleashing a rapid series of thrusts that Blake barely managed to block with her sheath. She couldn't afford to panic. The fight wasn't over. It was still Weiss. She had beaten Weiss thirty times. She just needed to force an opening, any opening she could find. But the clanging of steel against steel rattled her mind, and Weis only seemed to be getting more forceful in her strikes.

Then, she found it. A brief moment where Weiss caught her breath. In the half a second she had to think, Blake pulled her arm back, and with as much force as she could muster, threw her sword at Weiss's head. Weiss, stunned by the maneuver, barely managed to parry, just as Blake jumped forward at tried to smash her head in with the blunt side of her sheath. Weiss, in a panic, launched herself backward on a glyph and repositioned herself several meters away. Reverting to basics, Weiss lunged forward for the third time, preparing to end the fight in a single, powerful thrust in Blake's chest. Blake was more than ready for her. As Weiss was just about to strike, Blake disappeared into smoke, and materialized behind Weiss, ready to finish the fight.

Blake was impressed. Very impressed. Weiss had been studying her for a while, memorizing her patterns of attack over the past many fights. She tried to reinvent herself, thinking beyond the limitations of her technique to defeat a challenging opponent. It was more than a tutor could hope for. But it wasn't enough. Not yet. Weiss had put so much focus into that one attack that she left her back completely exposed, and even without her main weapon, Blake could end the fight in seconds. With her exposed hand, Blake reached towards Weiss's ponytail, flailing behind as a perfect and easy target to latch onto. That would have to be the subject of their next lesson together.

Except, the instant before Blake's hand made contact, a glyph materialized around it, and before Blake knew it, her free arm was trapped, ensnared in a case of ice.

"Got you!" Weiss cried, and with a forceful turn, grabbed Blake's frozen arm, and used it to throw her to the ground with a hard thud. Blake let out a cry of pain, and went to recover, only to immediately feel the tip of Weiss's sword pressed against her throat. She looked up at the ceiling, and blocking the fluorescent lighting was the heiress, her boot pressed into Blake's frozen shoulder, and her icy blue eyes meeting with Blake's own. The heiress, breathing heavily, spoke clearly.

"One. And. Thirty."

Blake stammered in disbelief. "How… how did you—"

"You know I was on the best team in our class at one point, right, Blake?" Weiss asked knowingly. "I've been trained in this art since I was a child, studying under the best masters in all of Atlas. Did you seriously think I would let someone like you beat me?"

"You've been hustling me," Blake said, too stunned to be angry.

"Not totally accurate," Weiss corrected, still smirking to herself. "I've just been waiting to know you better before giving it my all. I wanted to make sure we understood each other. Don't get me wrong, you have skills. The only difference is that now I know what they are."

"You bitch," Blake muttered. "But… how did you know when I was going to use my Semblance? Attack you from behind? I could have done it at any time, and you couldn't even see me, so how did you exactly when to put up that last glyph?"

"Oh, Blake," Weiss said lovingly, "I guess you can say that I simply… had _faith_."

Blake stared up at the ceiling, letting the words wash over her and the numbness flow into her frozen arm. And then, for the first time in what felt like years, she started to laugh. Not a laugh out of malice like when she discovered Weiss's disability, but a genuine, entertained laugh, where she could feel her cheeks start to redden, and she could feel her shoulders and chest shake, and she could even feel tears welling in her eyes. It sounded almost foreign coming out of her, and through her blurry vision, she could see Weiss staring at her with a shocked look on her face, which only made her laugh even harder. It was a laugh that she felt she deserved because _of course_ , Weiss would say that. It was the perfect thing _to_ say. Somehow, the throbbing of her back and the coldness on her arm didn't seem to exist anymore, and she felt, weirdly, at peace, lying on the floor of that dimly lit gym.

She would have to try harder the next time. There was no chance in hell that she would allow a Schnee to stay victorious over her. She would be back with a vengeance. But strangely enough, Blake was looking forward to it. She couldn't wait to get back up and go again, and again, and again.

Maybe she could get used to that feeling.


	24. Pyrrha's Wild Saturday

**Note: Hello. Welcome back. First off, thank you to the nearly two hundred people who've followed this story. It's the most we've ever had, and we're glad you are enjoying it. Additionally, thank you for the one hundred reviews; we take in all the feedback to help make this story better than ever, so it's really appreciated. This is a chapter that we knew we would have to include for a very long time. These last several chapters have been more slice of life than anything else we've written, and while they've been fun, we know we need to get back to the main plot soon. And we will next chapter. But before then, we wanted to write something about everyone's favorite secondary characters, Team JNPR, and more specifically, everyone's favorite Achilles analogy. This is probably going to be the most controversial chapter we've written in this rewrite, due to a specific character change that you'll see down below. At first, this character change wasn't something we intended, but as we were writing the chapter, it became apparent that it was a natural progression of where we taking that character. You'll see what we mean, and when you do let us know what you think about it.**

 **Also, we've seen the Volume 6 premiere. No spoilers, but it was pretty good all things considered. Best premiere episode yet, in our opinion. And no, we're not doing a rewrite of it. Enjoy.**

* * *

Pyrrha Nikos was going to have a wild Saturday.

At the beginning of the wild Saturday, she was completely oblivious to the fact that it was a wild Saturday. It started exactly the same as every nonwild Saturday. She awoke at precisely at six o'clock, unaided by the use of an alarm or timer. Her internal system was all she needed, honed over the period of several years. It had been paying off wondrously since moving in with others, and as she stretched and rose out of bed, she was able to gather her things quickly without waking the others, her footsteps muffled by Nora's intense snoring.

By 6:05, she had made her way out of the dorm and down the hall, slipped out of her nightgown, and was scrubbing herself clean under the torrential flood of a hot shower. One of the problems with no longer having the suite of the best team meant that she had to use public showers. She had never shared such a private living space with so many people before, but she appreciated the new opportunities that Beacon provided her. As she pulled and lathered the shampoo through her impressively thick mane of red hair, she mentally planned out the rest of the day's events. The lack of classes hardly meant a light schedule, and she would have to work carefully to make sure she utilized her time efficiently.

By 6:12, she was out of the shower. She had long ago learned that it was unhealthy for her skin to spend too much time in the shower, regardless of how relaxing it may have been. By 6:14, she was completely dried off, and she began changing into the set of clothes she had brought with her. The temperature was supposed to be around fifty degrees outside, so she dressed accordingly: a red tracksuit with white trim on the sides, a matching headband, and a set of decently worn-out running shoes. It had become more convenient to change out of the dorm than within, not just for the decreased chance of her teammates seeing something they shouldn't.

By 6:16, she had returned to the dorm to drop off her things, and to pick up some ingredients out of the micro-fridge kept in the back of the room. By 6:18, she had arrived at the student lounge, a comfy little place meant for student engagement that included big fancy couches, a massive television screen and, to her benefit, a fully functional kitchen. Pyrrha had learned how to cook at the age of ten after she discovered that most of the meals provided to her by her school and parents were rather lacking. It allowed her greater control of her caloric intake, and that was extraordinarily useful considering the high amount of work she performed on a daily basis. By 6:30, the student lounge was filled with the smells of breakfast, and Pyrrha sat down to enjoy a meal consisting of a five-egg omelet covered in hot sauce—for the extra boost in metabolism as well as flavor—as well as twelve strips of bacon, six links of maple sausage, four slices of tomato, eight pieces of toast with butter and jam, and a very large glass of orange juice. It was a diet that was expensive as well as filling, and certainly not one any normal girl her age should have been consuming on a daily basis, but being a Huntress required a lot of energy, and besides, she had gotten quite good at making it over the years.

By 7:00, she had finished eating and had made her way outside the castle, where she was immediately met with a strong gust of wind to the face. For the next ten minutes, she stretched, loosening her muscles as much as she was able to before she started her morning routine properly. By 7:11, she was off. Her first order of business was ten laps around the castle perimeter as fast as she could, which usually meant a continuous sprint, followed by one hundred pushups, followed by another eight laps, followed by two hundred sit-ups, followed by six laps, followed by one hundred squat thrusts, followed by four laps, followed by three hundred jumping jacks, followed by two more laps, and then a final one hundred pushups. That was the first of three rounds of exercise, and if all went well, she would complete it sometime within the next ninety minutes. Then, the next two rounds, and hopefully she would finish by 10:00, just in time for the rest of her teammates to finally wake up, and she could start the rest of their team-based workouts for the day.

That was supposed to be how that Saturday went. That was how every nonwild Saturday went. However, on that one particular Saturday, the universe decided to throw her a curve ball, because when she was only on her fourth lap halfway around the Academy, before she had even performed a single pushup, sit-up or squat, she heard the rapid pace of footsteps approaching her from behind, and a shrill voice screaming her name excitedly.

"Pyyyyyrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhaaaaa!"

In a flash, Nora jumped ahead of her, turning around to face her as she continued running backward at the same speed.

"Hey! What's up?" Nora asked with a powerful grin.

"Um… hello?" Pyrrha said, suspicious of the bright girl's intentions.

"Hello to you!" Nora screamed. "Get ready to have your mind blown open, Pyrrha. Today, we're going wild!"

"Wild?" Pyrrha said cautiously.

"You better believe it! Also, can we slow down? It's really hard to sprint backward…"

Realizing that she was still stuck in her previous mindset, Pyrrha came to a sudden halt, and Nora followed her, skidding and tripping backward as her body failed to keep up with the momentum. Pyrrha reached out to offer a hand, but Nora burst from the ground like a bolt of lightning, unfazed by the fall, still smiling like a lunatic.

"Come on, let's go upstairs and put on some decent clothes," Nora instructed.

"Yes, sure, but… what exactly is this 'going wild' that we'll be doing?" Pyrrha asked politely.

"It means we're breaking all the rules," Nora said dangerously. "No schedule. No supervision. No morality. Maybe a little morality, but roughly _ninety percent no morality_. Pyrrha, baby, we're going to have some fun."

Pyrrha smiled nervously. Fun. They were going to have fun. Wild, uncontrolled fun. Disastrous.

* * *

Apparently, JNPR's idea of fun was a day out on the town in the greater City of Vale. It was a nice city, Pyrrha had to give it that. Since the downfall of Roman Torchwick's gang a few months previously—thanks to a very petite redhead she knew rather well—the city's crime rate had fallen dramatically. Vale was divided cleanly into many subdistricts, and it was in the northernmost region where Pyrrha found herself amongst the sprawling skyline, surrounded by tourists in what as known as the biggest shopping district in the entire Kingdom. Jaune and Ren went off on their own for the time being, but she had Nora by her side, and it was her teammate who guided her through her wild, fun afternoon. By "fun", it appeared that Nora actually meant "purchasing a large number of unnecessary material goods", which, in theory, was neither the worst nor most immoral thing in the world.

That being said, with the amount of goods Nora had managed to stuff in the ten or so gift bags she kept under her arms and in her palms, it was almost criminal. It was a truly impressive feat of strength and coordination to keep that many items held at one time, and Pyrrha was able to marvel at her while carrying her one, lonesome gift bag gently by her side. She did not require much; of the twenty-odd stores they visited, she only bought around three things: a set of fresh cloths she could use to replace the old rags she polished her weapons with, a souvenir card she planned to send back to her parents in Mistral, and a bottle of strawberry-scented shampoo, as she had run out earlier that morning. Hardly anything to write home about, but it was what she needed and could afford. Nora, on the other hand, could not afford any of the things she purchased, and yet Pyrrha had seen her finagle her way through the stores with a clever combination of student discounts and what Nora referred to as "Mad Couponing."

"I can't believe you aren't getting any more," Nora said in disbelief. "There's a custom bracelet store down the street where we can totally get matching Team JNPR bands."

"I think I'll pass, but thank you for the offer," Pyrrha said sweetly. "If I may ask, why do you enjoy shopping so much?"

"Because I get stuff from it?" Nora said as if it was obvious.

"But why do you like stuff?"

"Probably because I subconsciously desire to collect meaningless possessions due to the abysmal oppression of growing up in abject poverty, and I'm obsessed with trying to fill the massive hole in my life caused by a lack of emotional attachment to friends or family for a majority of my childhood," Nora explained with a shrug.

Pyrrha stared at her.

"That… sounds complicated."

"Oh, yeah. I have an _insane_ amount of buried trauma," Nora said expressively. "Ooh, they're selling talking stuffed animals up ahead!"

"You wouldn't like to talk about any of this?" Pyrrha asked worriedly. "You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything."

"What? I'm not afraid!" Nora said dismissively, looking ahead at the stuffed animals with a bright smile. "It's just better sometimes to take all those bad childhood memories and all of their consequences and bury them deep down inside of you, so instead of getting any release, they can just slowly eat at you from within over the course of several decades. Munch, munch, munch."

"I see," Pyrrha muttered under her breath. Nora Valkyrie. Nice girl. Very, very good with a hammer. But Pyrrha did not understand her at all. To be fair, she had a very difficult time understanding most people. It was one of the things her parents had noticed when she was younger, and they had even brought in doctors to try to figure out what was the problem. Pyrrha had never thought there was much of a problem at all because there was always something else to supplement the need for long conversations with others. Unfortunately, being a part of a team meant getting to know people, and Nora was not being very helpful in the pursuit of those efforts.

But she was very, very, very nice. Pyrrha felt it was important to remind herself of that.

"Nora, do you think that maybe we should take a break from shopping?" Pyrrha asked politely.

"What else do you want to do?" Nora asked in return.

"I'm not sure," Pyrrha said. "But I'm sure there's something we can do that doesn't involve spending money we don't have. Are there any sights that you want to see?"

"No, but," Nora pondered aloud, "if you want to take a break, I know that Ren has been dying to hang out with you some more."

"Has he?" Pyrrha said in surprise.

"Oh, yeah, he won't stop talking about it."

"That seems… unlikely."

"Ren is hanging out in Heaven Park. There's a free theatre performance there he wanted to check out, and it pretty close. If you just turn right at that building up ahead, and then make a left two streets down, and then go straight for about fourteen blocks, you should find it pretty easily."

"Wait, aren't you coming along?"

"And miss out on all these sales? Are you crazy?" Nora said excitedly. "Oh, I almost forgot about the stuffed animals. They better have a rabbit!"

Before Pyrrha could say another word, the redhead sprinted off, leaving her alone in a strange city, with only vague directions to guide her towards her teammates, and a single gift bag filled with inexpensive knick-knacks. Pyrrha felt the need to remind herself that Nora was a very nice girl. That niceness as simply expressed differently.

* * *

Pyrrha found Ren sitting crossed on the grass amongst an audience of hundreds. Jaune at his side, his eyes were transfixed upon a wooden stage set up in front of a gentle pond, where two actors were performing what Pyrrha could only understand as a sort of interpretive dance. Guided by the hypnotic tunes of a piccolo played just off-stage, the two actors dressed in exotic robes circled each other, grunting and waving their arms in strange patterns. Pyrrha gently kneeled down beside Ren, prodding him to get his attention.

"Hello, Ren. Nora said you wanted to spend time with me."

Ren said nothing. Instead, without turning away from the performance, he raised a single finger to Pyrrha's lips, politely silencing her. Understanding her mistake, Pyrrha tiptoed around him and sat down on the open grass next to Jaune, who gave her a small wave.

"Hi, Pyrrha," he whispered.

"Hello, Jaune," she whispered back. "Nora said that Ren wanted to spend time with me."

"Oh, did she? That's weird," he said with curiosity. "Well, um, I'm glad you're here."

Pyrrha nodded, and focused on the show, trying to enrich her cultural sensibilities. The dancers intertwined with each other's movements, their limbs jutting out wildly, the piccolo playing increasing in speed. They danced further. And then they danced some more. They kept dancing. A few minutes later, their dancing slowed down, but then it started to speed up again. But then they started to dance, and dance even more, and they danced with each other, then alone, then with each other, and then they surprised the audience by dancing after they finished dancing. There was also grunting, of course. Lots of grunting. Long grunting, short grunting, medium-length grunting, grunting high, grunting low, grunting in unison, grunting apart, grunting at each other, grunting towards the audience, grunting and dancing and dancing and grunting and waving and dancing and grunting and grunting and grunting and waving and dancing and grunting and dancing and dancing and waving and grunting and dancing and grunting and waving and dancing and dancing until eventually Jaune leaned over with a forced smile and whispered through gritted teeth, "They've been doing this for _two hours_."

Pyrrha glanced over to him, stunned. "Two hours?"

"I don't know what's happening," Jaune stated worriedly, holding up a thick pamphlet. "This says that they represent the eternal battle between order and chaos. Are you getting any of that?"

"Well, now that you mention it," Pyrrha stated, studying the performers more carefully. She didn't get it, not even close. To her, the dancing was just that, no more meaning behind it. However, she hesitated to say it. Clearly, the people around her were gaining meaning from it. Ren was gaining meaning from it, otherwise, he wouldn't be watching the performers with such intent. For a moment, she considered pretending. A minor fib wouldn't hurt, but before she could say it, she was immediately reminded of her father's stern warnings about lies tangling up in themselves, and so for the time being, she kept her mouth shut and stared straight on ahead.

The trio remained silent for a minute as frantic piccolo music filled the air before Jaune leaned back in. "Hey, Pyrrha, would you mind helping me find the bathroom? I don't want to get lost in a big park."

"Oh. Sure, Jaune," Pyrrha said understandingly. They rose to their feet faster than anyone had any right to, and they left Ren to enjoy his performance by himself. Pyrrha felt mildly guilty about leaving him alone, but then again, he hardly seemed to mind. In fact, he was most likely thankful that they had left so he wouldn't have to listen to their whispers. They walked hastily through the gorgeous park, where the leaves had just started to turn and the rambling of a nearby stream filled the air. Tourists strolled past them in silence as they followed the stone-carved path wherever it took them, and when the sound of the piccolo finally faded into the distance, Jaune breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, that was the worst thing I've ever had to sit through," he sighed. "That might have even been worse than some of those team exams."

"I'm sure it couldn't possibly be that bad."

"Yeah, well you aced all of those, so I doubt you have much to complain about," Jaune said half-jokingly.

"True. Now, let's see if we can find out where the public bathrooms are," Pyrrha said, her gift bag swinging from side to side.

"Haha, very funny," Jaune said softly. Pyrrha did not laugh or smile along. She stared blankly at him, processing his words, not missing a step.

"What are you—" She stopped herself before saying anything further. She mentally slapped herself. The meaning was obvious. There was nothing else to explain. She forced through a smile as they continued on their now aimless journey. They walked in silence for minutes longer, before Jaune again attempted to break the quiet.

"So, what did you buy with Nora?"

"Hmm? Oh, some shampoo, some cloths, and a gift for my parents," Pyrrha explained.

"That's neat. Does that mean you have a good relationship with them?"

"Very much so," Pyrrha stated. "They're pretty good, all things considered."

"That's good to hear. Sometimes when you hear about child prodigies, you hear stories about how their parents abused them and pushed them too hard."

"My parents loved me very much," Pyrrha insisted. "I don't think they ever abused me. Well, except for the fact that they never allowed me to try ice cream when all the other kids could have it."

"You've never had ice cream?"

"They said it didn't help with my training," Pyrrha explained mildly.

"Well, we can totally get some ice cream today, if you want," Jaune stated.

"That's not necessary. Considering I haven't exercised today, adding any more calories wouldn't be a very healthy decision."

"Oh, come on," Jaune said, flexing his muscles. "I've only eaten ice cream my whole life, and I'm as strong as ever."

Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't make sense. How would just eating ice cream cause you to—" She had to stop herself again. Focus on the subtext. Stop from talking without thinking. Don't miss the obvious. "Oh! Good one, Jaune. That is very funny."

She could not get away with it twice. Jaune came to a stop, staring at her cautiously. Under his gaze, the proud, noble Pyrrha Nikos shrank, and her grip on the gift bag tightened until her knuckles turned white.

"Are… you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Pyrrha said quickly. "Why would I not be fine?"

"It's just that you're acting kind of strange. Actually, you've been acting kind of strange for a while."

"There is absolutely nothing wrong, Jaune, so I wouldn't be concerned about it."

"Are you _sure_ there's nothing wrong?" Jaune asked knowingly. "I mean, you don't have to hide it."

"I'm not sure what it is you're talking about—"

"You hate me, don't you?" Jaune asked solemnly. At once, Pyrrha's panic turned to confusion.

"What?"

"It's super obvious," he claimed. "You think I'm too far beneath you to be worth your time. I get it. You're you and I'm me, so why wouldn't you feel that way?"

"I don't think that," Pyrrha said frantically, but Jaune had himself convinced.

"You never spoke to me before I got thrown onto your team, and since then, you always try to ignore me. I don't ever think you've looked me in the eye. You're not even doing it now."

Pyrrha hadn't even noticed that his words rang true. Immediately, she tried to meet his gaze, but he turned away from her, shunned.

"I'm not mad," he continued. "You were on the top team headed for greatness, and now you're stuck with me dragging you down. I would hate me, too."

"Jaune, I don't hate you," Pyrrha said sincerely. "Really. I don't feel anything strong about you in any particular way." She paused momentarily, feeling her chest contract. "That came out wrong, but I promise, I don't hate you at all."

"I'm sorry if I have a hard time believing that," Jaune said sadly.

"I want you to believe me," Pyrrha said desperately. She felt like the world was closing in on her. She didn't like it. She didn't like his thoughts about her. She didn't like how she had made someone feel awful through no fault of her own. It was crippling, and she moved in close to him to try to make it better, placing a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Look, I'm not upset about you being on my team. I don't care what number our team is. You're trying your best and that's what matters. I don't want you to think I've been shunning you because it's something you've done wrong. It's because of _me_. I'm the one with the problem, not you."

"What do you mean?" he asked her, finally looking her in the eye. Pyrrha hated looking people in the eye, especially when the other person was so close. It was too personal, too raw for her to handle sometimes. Her parents had to train her to make eye contact with the adults when they were talking to, but she still fell back into the habit so often. However, all things considered, Jaune's eyes were nice. She didn't mind looking into them.

"Can you promise to keep this between us?" she asked quietly.

"Is it something bad?"

"No, not bad. It's just… I don't exactly _get_ people," Pyrrha sighed. "The way that the doctors described it to me when I was younger is that people's brains are designed to work in a specific way. Usually, they process the world around them like you and are able to interact with each other because of that. My brain doesn't exactly work like that. When it comes to things like fighting and studying and remembering things I'm perfectly fine, but I have difficulty understanding things that other people do. My brain isn't very good at picking up things like social skills, or jokes, or sarcasm, or… you know, _people_ things. There's apparently a whole spectrum of disorders like that, but mine is my own. Does that make sense?"

"Um… yeah. That makes sense," Jaune said reassuringly. "But I don't know why you don't want people to know that if it might make things easier."

"Because when people find out about, their first instinct is to treat me like I'm lesser than them. I'm not stupid. I understand everything that's going on around me, and I can get around fine on my own, but people will just end up acting like I can't. They'll act like I'm different, and honestly, they already treat me like I'm different enough. I'd rather just keep it private. It doesn't bother you, right? Me being like this?"

"Are you kidding? You're pretty much the coolest person I know," Jaune grinned. "I don't know what could possibly change that."

Pyrrha breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Jaune. You don't know how much that means to me." She removed her hand from his shoulders, and the weight disappeared. It was hard saying those things, harder than fighting a thousand iron golems. But somehow, it felt good clearing the air. She would probably tell Ren and Nora when she got the chance, if not for honesty's sake, then for the purpose of maintaining team unity. Speaking of which, she realized she probably should also apologize to Ren for briefly abandoning him, and probably also Nora as well for saying that she would be with Ren before abandoning him.

"It's okay," Jaune said. "Now, we should probably—oh, crap." Jaune's attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere, and with a sideward glance, Pyrrha noticed them as well: Team CRDL boldly walking directly towards them. Jaune turned to leave as fast as possible, but he could not take a single step before he heard them call out to him.

"Hey, guys, look who it is!" Cardin shouted. Like sharks, the four boys swarmed them, and before they realized, they were surrounded. Jaune felt his knees go weak. Pyrrha smiled warmly.

"Hello, Cardin. Boys. Nice to see you today."

"Pyrrha Nikos!" Cardin said with mocking delight. "It's so amazing to see you hanging out with us common folk. Isn't that right, boys?"

"It's a very good day to be out in the park," Pyrrha said, trying to diffuse the tension. "Have you been having a good day?"

"Wonderful," said Cardin. "And Jaune, you look well. You must be getting a good meal leeching off the hard work of others."

"Cardin, do we really have to do this right now?" Jaune asked uncomfortably. Cardin shrugged and placed his hand on Jaune's shoulder, where Pyrrha's had been resting just a moment before. Cardin squeezed not so gently, and Pyrrha noticed Jaune grimace as Cardin ran Aura through his fingertips and tightened his grip.

"I don't see why we can't," Cardin said deviously. "You know, when I first saw you Jaune, the very first thing I thought to myself was, 'This guy won't last a week.' And you know what? I was right, wasn't I? I mean, you failed over and over and _over_ again, and quite frankly, you were on the way out of this Academy, freeing up the space for the Huntsmen with actual talent."

Cardin squeezed tighter, and Jaune's pain spread clearly across his face. "But because Ozpin decided to shove his head up his ass, you not only got to stay in Beacon and waste everybody's time, you got to partner with Pyrrha here. And now, poor Pyrrha has to pick up after your mistakes."

"Cardin, can you please stop?" Pyrrha asked worriedly.

"Pyrrha, you don't have to say anything," Cardin said dismissively. "If this guy is bothering you, we'll take care of it. Then you can see what the number one team is really all about."

"Cardin…"

"It's okay, it's okay," Cardin laughed. "We're all friends here. Doing friendly things. There's no reason to get so bitchy about—"

With a jolt, Pyrrha dropped her gift bag and grabbed onto Cardin's wrist. Shocked, he turned to yell at her, but upon seeing her face, his pride vanished. The sweetness and worry were gone from her features, and her eyes were dark, focused deeply onto his wrist, the bones, the sinew, the easy places where she could break it apart.

"Cardin. _Stop_."

With her free hand, she grabbed onto Cardin's thumb and slowly peeled it back, bending it back at its joints until she could feel them resist to their fullest. Cardin gasped in pain as she pushed his thumb to the limit, eventually causing it to go numb. Jaune was equally as stunned, unmoving as Pyrrha manually released Cardin's grip, finger by finger, pulling back on each one until the strain was too much for him to bear, and his grip on her friend was no more.

CRDL reacted.

Perhaps realizing that their leader was in trouble, the rest of CRDL began to move towards her, and her instincts took over as her eyes remained locked on Cardin's wrist. She felt a presence over her left shoulder, and her newly freed arm rocketed back, her elbow smashing into Dove's nose, breaking it, before she followed up with a stern back kick to his knee, taking him off his feet. Russel came at her from the other side behind her friend, but her arm jutted forward, reach across the bridge of Jaune's nose to jab her attacker in the throat, and he gagged and sputtered as he clawed at his neck and fell to his knees. Poor Sky Lark actually managed to throw a punch, charging at Pyrrha from behind, but she bobbed her head to the side and he sailed past her. As he passed, she grabbed his arm, and using his own momentum, threw him over her shoulder onto the ground in front of her, and while he was down, she delivered to rapid kicks to the sides of his head, knocking him unconscious, all the while keeping her eyes locked on Cardin's wrist, keeping it held tightly.

Six seconds had transpired.

As Cardin looked at the fallen bodies around him, the fear became palpable in his eyes, and it was only then that Pyrrha felt it was appropriate to release her grasp on his wrist. She wrapped her arm around Jaune's shoulders, picked her gift back off the ground, and shoved her way through Cardin, who was too stunned to react. Her eyes found a new target in the open path out ahead of them, and she did not look back as CRDL struggled to recover from their rapid beating at her hands. Jaune, on the other hand, could not stop looking behind him, his jaw open in amazement.

"That was… how did you do that?"

"They were hurting you," Pyrrha stated simply. "I stopped them."

"But how did you _do_ that?" Jaune repeated. "I've never seen anyone move that fast."

"Lots of practice."

"But… you just took out the best team in the class," Jaune said in disbelief. "And you did it with only one hand… without looking at any of them… that was the most incredible thing I've ever seen in my life."

"Thank you," Pyrrha responded halfheartedly, her mind too clouded to respond properly. "But it wasn't really that hard."

"It wasn't?" Jaune asked, surprised. "Maybe CRDL is a lot weaker than I thought."

No, they were not. CRDL deserved their reputation as the best in the class. Pyrrha was well aware of that fact. In most other circumstances, a one-on-four fight against them would be much more challenging. Not impossible, she realized, but challenging. However, they exposed themselves to her. They were too unfocused on the task at hand, too slow to react to her and each other, uncommunicative, hesitant to charge their Auras and unready to face her as an opponent. Pyrrha, on the other hand, was always ready. Ever since she had arrived at Beacon, she had closely studied the other students' fighting styles, their movements, their techniques, and strategies, playing them repeatedly on an infinite loop inside of her head. She knew their strengths and weaknesses like the back of her hand, and she knew the details of how to exploit them. Years of honing her skills allowed her to utilize her talents as efficiently as possible, and as the Team 1 groaned and cried out in defeat, their bodies broken and aching, they learned just how far she had managed to push herself. CRDL was a very good team. Pyrrha was simply better.

"Jaune," Pyrrha said suddenly, "let's go buy some ice cream."

"Oh, really?" Jaune asked, his teammate still hugging him close to her.

"Why not? It's a wild Saturday. New experiences are good," Pyrrha stated, her features finally starting to warm.

Jaune nodded happily, telling her about a soft serve location he discovered online just the other day. By the time they eventually reached the ice cream store, Pyrrha had forgotten about most of the stress, and let Jaune pick out the first flavor for her to try. He picked out his own favorite: the classic combination of chocolate and vanilla swirled together in a waffle cone and topped with sprinkles, a symbol of their newfound understanding of one another.

And thus, on that wild Saturday, Pyrrha Nikos discovered that ice cream tasted quite delicious.


	25. A Simple Request

**Note: We have returned, and so has the plot! Not much to say this time, so enjoy.**

* * *

Yang watched her teammates with anticipation. The entire room was on edge as Weiss and Blake stood across from each other, ready to duel once again. Yang had spent most of the week in a state of atrophy, drained from a difficult set of midterms, but the conflict in front of her brought her racing back to life.

"Let's get it on already, girls!" Yang cried. "Fall Break starts in twenty minutes, and I don't plan on waiting around."

The combatants were undeterred. They had every reason to stay focused. Over the past several weeks, they had tied each other at fifty-two wins, and both were eager to prove themselves. If the heiress pulled through, Weiss knew Ruby would have to develop a new schedule for her—there was obviously no purpose of Blake tutoring her if she was no longer superior. Switching out Blake for Yang was a strong possibility, as it would help train Weiss for a vastly different fighting style, but on the other hand, Yang needed as much time to study as she could afford. Blake would most likely be happy being done with the duels herself, but she made no intention of throwing the match. She wanted to beat Weiss into submission, no matter the cost. It was, in some strange way, her noblest trait.

There was, of course, the _other_ matter on the line aside from pride. Yang could not stop bouncing in her seat as she glanced to the bag of goodies next to her: an entire bag of shriveled, bright red peppers. She was rather proud of her ability to talk the girls not it. She made sure to make grand gestures to their egos and competitive drive as she convinced them that the loser of their biggest match would have to consume one of the hottest peppers in the Kingdom, an action which she planned to record on her Scroll and watch obsessively. She personally had no idea what would be funnier: watching Weiss stamp around screaming and crying as her sensitive taste buds were lit on fire, or seeing Blake desperately trying to keep her cool as she tried and failed to withstand the heat. Hell, maybe it would be a draw and they would both have to eat. Whatever the case, it was twelve Lien well spent.

The others tried their best to pretend it was a fight similar to any other as they charged towards each other and quickly clashed blades, Yang cheering on from the sidelines. Immediately, she could see their growth since when she last fought beside them. Weiss's traditional swordplay had all but been abandoned; from her posture to her footing, to the speed at which she attacked, the once-refined fencer now attacked with ferocity, each strike meaning to deliver a harsh end to her opponent, though her balance and precision did not fade. Her glyphs had once been used sparingly, only summoned to give her a boost in speed or launch an elemental strike. Instead, she wielded three at once: one permanently locked beneath her feet to further control her movement, and two more hovering tightly around her to defend against any incoming strike. Together, they made up for her lack of Aura, and she used them to their full effect in the battle, darting around Blake from all angles and deflecting any and all attacks as they revolved around her like a twister.

Blake had improved as well. Within moments of the fight starting, she uncoiled the grappling hook attached to her weapon and began using it in combat, twirling it and launching it forward between the cracks of Weiss's defense. Her Semblance usage increased as well, and she was far less blunt in her attack patterns, fading in and out of shadow constantly, dodging behind Weiss only to feign and reappear in the front and attack. She had a higher floor to begin with, but Yang was impressed nonetheless with her study buddy. In fact, it almost made her want to join in on their training sessions,until she remembered that she was already a perfect fighter, and there would be nothing to gain. Still, they were impressive and evenly matched against each other, and Ruby would likely be incredibly proud of how far they had come together, and of the grudging respect that had grown between them through their trial by fire. If Ruby was there, she likely would have told them how absolutely stupendous they were doing.

And, to test that theory, as the battle was drawing to a close and Weiss began to feel as if she gained the upper hand, pressing Blake further and further backward, readying herself to deliver a finishing strike, the door to the gymnasium flew open and Ruby burst into the room screaming.

"Emergency team meeting!" she shouted, just urgent enough for Weiss to avert her eyes across the room to the source of the distraction. The brief moment of hesitation was all Blake needed to regain her footing, lunge forward and tackle Weiss to the ground, straddling her and pressing her sword to the heiress's throat, locking her limbs down so she couldn't move. The glyphs dissipated, and Yang clapped joyously

"Match over," Blake said with a cheeky grin. "I win." Weiss stared at her incredulously, and with a forceful huff, shoved Blake off her chest, and pushed herself to her feet, dusting off her white skirt.

"That doesn't count. I was clearly distracted," Weiss said, irritated.

"That's your fault for taking your eyes off your opponent in the heat of battle," Blake shrugged. "In a real fight, you can't afford to lose focus."

"This isn't a real fight, and that was dirty," Weiss protested.

"I don't know. What do you say, Yang?" Blake asked expectantly.

"Oh, that totally counts," Yang cackled gleefully. "Weiss, time to pepper up."

"I am _not_ eating one of those things," Weiss growled.

However, before the argument could progress any further, and before a single spicy pepper could be consumed, Ruby sprinted over to them and planted her feet in the center of the group, waving her arms frantically.

"What part of 'emergency team meeting' do you not understand?" she asked frantically.

"What could be the emergency?" Yang asked carelessly. "Fall Break starts tomorrow. There can't be any emergencies during a week off from school. The School Gods forbid it."

"This is super important!" Ruby emphasized. "Wait here!" Without another word, Ruby dashed back to the entrance and returned moments later dragging a worn-out Velvet Scarlatina behind her. The upperclassman was still warm and friendly, however, and carried a laptop underneath her arm as Ruby planted her in the middle of the room, showing her off like a trophy.

"Hello, everyone," she said meekly. "How were midterms?"

"You know, same old, same old," Yang said passively.

"We can talk about that later," Ruby said hurriedly. "We need to talk about the huge discovery we've just made."

"Huge discovery?" Weiss questioned.

"See, a while ago after we saved CFVY from the Emerald Forest, I asked Velvet to help out a bit with our…" Ruby lowered her voice. "G-R-I-M-M problem."

"There is literally no reason for you not to say Grimm right now," Blake muttered.

"Anyway, I asked Velvet if she could help me do some research into the Grimm and try to find out anything more about them?"

"I can't believe you still want to think about that thing," Weiss shuddered. "Honestly, I'd rather just forget it ever existed."

"Come on, don't tell me you don't want to know," Ruby insisted. "That thing almost killed us. Considering that, and what Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch tried to hide from us, we can't just ignore them."

"I'm can testify to that," Blake stated. "If it's something they are so desperate to keep a secret, it has to be important."

"That's what I thought," Ruby stated. "And so that's why Velvet has been secretly working for me for the past month to uncover whatever she could about the Grimm. Velvet, tell them what you found."

"Uh, right," Velvet said, opening up her laptop and scanning through her notes. "So, when Ruby asked me to help look into Grimm, the first thing I wanted to do was see if there were any more sightings of Grimm across Vale. I figured that it was unlikely there would only be one, so I looked out for any stories of mysterious sightings of creatures in small villages, or sightings of strange black liquid, or cases where people had been disappearing without explanation."

"And… what did you find?" Yang asked excitedly.

"Well, that's the weird thing. I found nothing," Velvet admitted. "No stories, no spottings… absolutely no Grimm activity over the past several weeks."

"So, you came all the way here to tell us this why?" Weiss asked, annoyed.

"Because I didn't just find nothing. I found _less_ than nothing," Velvet stated. "See, when my teammates first got lost, I was going through a very difficult time. I had considered at one point going into the Emerald Forest myself in order to look for them. Before I did, I performed some research about missing person investigations to maybe learn some things before I went off on my own. One of the stories I came across in my research was about an elderly couple who lived in a remote village. The day before my friends went missing, the man had vanished into the woods, and the woman claimed that he was dragged away from their home by some kind of giant monster. At first, I thought it may have been some animal or she was making it up, but after everything Ruby told me about the Grimm, I decided to take a look at that case again. Except, well, it wasn't there anymore. All information pertaining to the case had vanished from the internet without a trace."

"That's… disconcerting," said Yang.

"And not just that story. I searched back months, but I couldn't find anything even remotely associated with the Grimm. That's what I mean by there being less than nothing. It's almost as if—"

"Someone is actively wiping all the evidence," Blake said knowledgeably. "Now I wonder who would have the authority and the motive to do that?"

"That's not all that's missing," Ruby interjected. "Yang, do you remember that fairy tale Mom used to read to me before bed? About the Huntsmen and the Grimm?"

"I heard it pretty much every night, so how could I forget?" Yang moaned, trying to repress the memories of meaningless childhood resentment.

"After Velvet told me that she couldn't find anything about the Grimm, I decided to do some of my own research to see if I could at least find out more about them from the fairy tales."

"You were seriously looking to picture books to learn more about the giant monster that tried to eat us?" Weiss protested.

"It makes sense in theory!" claimed Ruby. "Those fairy tales are the only knowledge about the Grimm we have, so it makes sense that they have to be based on something, right? Besides, we could barely hurt that thing with our weapons, so trying to find out other ways to kill them is a pretty solid goal. So, I decided to try to buy old fairy tale books that had Grimm stories in them, and guess what happened?"

"They were gone, too," Blake said with a nod.

"Exactly," Ruby said intently. "I searched on my computer and in the library for any fairy tales about Grimm, and they no longer exist. They had just completely disappeared overnight, without a trace. Not only that, but we found out that a few weeks ago, there was a recall order put out on a large number of fairy tale books as well, saying that a lot of these old books had been lined with hazardous chemicals and they had to be returned to the government for safety. So, not only can we not buy any new books, but we can't even rely on the _old_ ones either."

"It's a pretty good tactic to suppress information," Blake said knowingly. "If you erase the things you don't want people to see, eventually they'll start to doubt themselves and forget that it ever existed. It's been a strategy to keep the people in line for ages. Of course, Ozpin would resort to doing it if he didn't want knowledge of the Grimm getting out."

"But someone would notice, right?" asked Yang. "Like, everyone won't just forget that those stories exist."

"Not immediately," Blake stated, "but most people aren't going to care. They'll be so immersed in their own problems that they won't notice if a few fairy tales go missing, or if a few people on the outskirts of society vanish. The people in charge can get away with anything as long as they don't make it inconvenient for the commoner."

"So, where does that leave us?" asked Yang.

"It leaves us with no clear path forward," Ruby said disappointedly. "If Ozpin's trying to keep the truth secret from us, he's doing a pretty good job. We won't be able to do any more research like this, not when the Kingdom controls all the information. That's why I've come up with a different idea: I want us to go back to the Emerald Forest."

"Are you out of your mind?" asked Weiss. "The last time we went down there, not only did we almost die, but we almost ended up getting expelled. You really want to go back?"

"It'll be different this time," Ruby promised. "The Grimm isn't down there anymore, and I want to get CFVY and JNPR to go with us. I know that Beacon probably cleaned the forest out, but maybe they left something behind that we can use to get us some answers. I figure it would be worth a shot."

"What exactly do you expect us to find? A clump of hair? A dead body? How is any of that supposed to help us?"

"I'm just brainstorming here," Ruby said defensively. "It's not like we have any better ideas at the moment. We could do it over break, and no one would know about it."

"Oh, that's a big no from me," Yang stated. "No offense, but I have no interest in dying over my Fall Break. I plan on drinking forty root beer floats and watching some movies."

"Yeah, abut that," Velvet added suddenly, "I know Coco said she would help you with whatever you needed, but if it's over Fall Break, we won't be able to help you. That's when we're doing our Huntsman Partnership."

"You're Huntsman… what?" Ruby asked, surprised.

"Ruby, do you really not know what the Partnerships are?" Weiss scolded.

"To be fair, _I_ have no idea what the Huntsman Partnerships are either," said Yang. Ever the friend, Velvet took a seat next to the firecracker, and with a few keystrokes, pulled up the informative page on her laptop.

"The Huntsman Partnerships are one of the most well-known events for second-years at Beacon. They're technically optional, but pretty much everyone ends up doing them. It's our first taste at real-world experience since starting at training, so it's a pretty big deal."

"What, is it like an internship?" asked Yang.

"Sort of, but much shorter," Velvet kindly explained. "It takes place every year over Fall Break. What happens is that students are allowed to pick a professional Huntsman team to be mentored by, and they pick and choose an assignment to go on together. Getting to work alongside an actual Huntsman team is an incredible opportunity, and I'm so thankful that my teammates are recovered enough to go."

"Why are professional Huntsman teams willing to partner up with a bunch of students?" asked Weiss curiously.

"The school asks them to. Huntsmen and Huntresses work for the government, and since Beacon is a Kingdom-sanctioned academy, they probably don't have much of a choice."

"I thought Valian Huntsmen were more independent than that?"

"It's weird and complicated," Blake explained. "Basically, Vale gives its Huntsmen more freedom than other Kingdoms. The way Huntsmen make their money is through government salaries, with higher pay going to those close to major cities. It's the top teams of Beacon that usually get assigned to those regions, so we have no chance in hell of getting that kind of money, but that's a different story. Anyway, what usually happens is a person will call the police to report a crime, and if the crime is deemed sufficient enough, then it will get sent to a regional Huntsmen Guild, and members there can take up the case if they want. Alternatively, you can just hire Huntsmen directly to help you if you need help faster, but that usually requires a lot of money. In layman's terms: weird and complicated."

"No wonder Vale is such a trash heap," Weiss bemused. "Atlas is infinitely more structured than that nonsense."

"It comes with the fascism," Blake shrugged in agreement.

"But Blake did give a pretty accurate description," Velvet spoke up. "That's how we get Huntsman Partnerships. Because Beacon and the Kingdom are so closely related, the regional Huntsman Guild gives us access to all the cases that they have in their queue, and their members agree to help out the school to help train new Huntsmen and Huntresses. I'm pulling up a list of the cases right now? Here, check it out."

With that, the conversation about the Grimm ground to a halt, as Team RWBY gathered around Velvet's laptop. To be fair, Ruby was aware that they weren't getting anywhere, but she still felt some remorse over how her discoveries fell upon deaf ears. Still, the prospect of learning more about Huntsman traditions was an exciting one, and she couldn't help but be enthralled as Velvet brought up a page containing a list of a hundred contracts, neatly organized and displayed. For Ruby, it was beyond impressive; each case was clearly marked by the task requested of the Huntsmen, the name of the person or police department that set the request in, and the location of the request, as well as a set of icons that, if clicked, revealed additional relevant information. A money icon to display if and how much money was put forth for the completion of the request. A check mark to indicate if a team had taken the assignment. As Velvet scrolled down the page, Ruby couldn't help but marvel at how pretty it looked, and secretly wished she could someday make something so elegantly structured.

"This case right here is the one we're taking," Velvet said, dragging her mouse to a case in the middle of the page. "As the top team in our class, we got to pick first. It's a direct request from a man named Animo Litigi, in the City of Vale. He wants help finding the people vandalizing his thrift shop. He's willing to pay three thousand Lien for the service."

"Damn," Yang whistled. "I hope you get to see some of that."

"I think we only get paid in experience," Velvet said sheepishly. "It's a bit funny, actually. I wanted to take something more stress-free, but Coco was determined to pick something with a lot of action and mystery. She said she wanted to get her blood pumping again. Sometimes, I don't know how I put up with her."

"You know, we should probably start thinking about the Partnerships, too," Weiss stated. "It doesn't hurt to be prepared."

"What other kinds of assignments are there?" asked Yang impatiently. Velvet scrolled further down the page, and for the first time, Team RWBY got to see their future up close. The assignments were wide-ranging, from clearing out a clan of bandits to making deliveries of important goods, to capturing rowdy wild animals. It was good, honest busywork, and despite its simplistic nature, it was hard to deny a certain charm about it. The direct requests were always more fun to look at, and the price was hefty, usually ranging anywhere from one to ten-thousand Lien per request. Combined with a yearly salary, it was enough to make Ruby realize how it was that her father managed to afford such a nice house for them.

Then, as the page was drawing to a close, something caught her eye.

"Wait, scroll back up for a second," Ruby instructed. Unsure, Velvet did as she was told, slowly scrolling in reverse until Ruby's finger darted forward and pressed against the screen. "That icon—what is that?"

The icon in question was a new one: a bright, red exclamation mark in a circle, standing out starkly against the calm blue backdrop of the page. Velvet tilted her head, searching through her memories.

"Oh, that," she said cautiously. "Um, I think that's a sign for a hard referral." She clicked on the icon, and upon reading the description, nodded her head. "Yeah, it means that this case had previously been sent to the police, but they openly turned the case away. Usually, bad cases are just left on the backburner, but this can happen sometimes if the police don't want any association with the case for any reason."

"Not just the police," Yang said, pointing further at the description. "It says the case was also rejected by two other Huntsman Guilds. That's pretty harsh."

Ruby looked at the assignment carefully. Unlike most of the other requests on the page, it was absent almost all icons, save for the icon for the referral and the symbol for a direct payment. Curious, she read the foremost details of the case: _Retrieving a Stolen Possession—Zelina Zaripova—1001 Brookside Street, Vegis Province._

"Vegis Province?" Ruby pondered aloud. "That's almost on the other side of Vale. Why would she put in a request here at Beacon?"

"If everyone else rejected her, why not?" Weiss speculated. "Or, maybe she just wants the best Huntsmen available?"

"Check what the rest of the request says," asked Yang. Velvet clicked on the assignment, and a short box of text appeared in front of her, which she quickly read aloud.

"At the end of last month, my home was broken into and a family treasure was stolen from a safe in my living room. The treasure is a rare book that has been passed down my family for generations and is highly valuable to me. I'm requesting that a team of professional Huntsmen assist in discovering the culprits and returning the book to my possession." Velvet backed out of the page and dragged her cursor to the last remaining icon. "That's all it says. I wonder how much money she's offering."

Velvet clicked on the icon, and when the number popped up on the screen, and every person in the room felt their eyes nearly pop out of their skulls.

"One hundred thousand Lien?" they screamed together.

"That… that has to be a mistake, right?" Weiss asked, stunned. "I mean, who would even offer that kind of money to retrieve a book?"

"The better question is: Why isn't anyone _taking_ that money?" Yang asked, jumping out of her seat. "It's one hundred thousand Lien to find some lady's stupid old book. Every Huntsman on the planet should be jumping on that contract."

"Maybe they think it's fraudulent?" Velvet suggested. "It does seem like a suspicious amount of money."

"Or, maybe they're refusing to take it because of the obvious thing you haven't mentioned yet," Blake said suddenly. Since the beginning, she had kept her distance from the others, sitting with her arms crossed away from the computer screen, listening tensely as her teammates lost their minds. She spoke with the same level of calmness and contempt that was expected of her. "Take a look at her name. Zaripova—that's a _Faunus_ surname."

At once, the mood in the room darkened, and a sudden pang of guilt rushed through them. Yang's ambitious smile faded, and as the dark reality of the world reminded her of its place, she took her seat again, speaking somberly.

"Oh."

It was all she felt appropriate to say on the matter. Velvet cleared her throat, trying to expel some of the darkness.

"Of course. How could I not realize it?" she asked with a sad yet knowing smile. She adjusted the fake set of bunny ears on her head and let out a long sigh. "Poor woman. That probably means she'll never get her belongings back."

"I don't get it," Weiss said boldly, shattering the atmosphere. "Are people really so hellbent on hating Faunus that they would turn down a hundred thousand Lien?"

"Would you take the assignment?" Blake said accusingly.

"For that kind of money? Probably," Weiss suggested.

"I'm glad to see that your greed offsets your bigotry," Blake sneered. "Most people, though, would rather burn all the money in Remnant than see a Faunus get treated like anyone else."

"Man… this Kingdom sucks," Yang said dejectedly. "Right, Ruby?"

Ruby said nothing. Ruby was struggling with an idea. It wasn't her fault. She was contemplating the world's hardships just as much as anyone else when a stray thought had forced it way into her head. It was a wicked stray thought, a tempting stray thought, the kind which she couldn't let go even as her instincts told her she should have. The more she thought about that thought, the more she thought it made sense, even though she knew that it did not. It was too simple. Too convenient. Too easy to dismiss. But, if it was right, then it changed everything, and before she could even decide for herself, the words had already come out.

"We need to take this assignment."

"What was that?" Yang asked suspiciously.

"RWBY, us… we should take the Zaripova case," Ruby stated more confidently.

"Ruby, we're still freshmen," Yang reminded her.

"Not literally," Ruby explained. "I'm saying that we buy some bus tickets, head down to Vegis Province, and tell Zelina Zaripova that we're students from Beacon and we're taking the assignment for her. Then, we do everything we can to help her get her book back."

"You know, when I said I would help out the Faunus, I was talking hypothetically," Weiss said crossly.

"Yeah, I'm with Weiss on this," Yang said questioningly. "It's not that I don't feel bad for her. I mean, it's really terrible that this happened, but… I don't know why we should travel halfway across the Kingdom just to help this lady."

"Can't you see it?" Ruby said, frustrated. "Think about it. This woman has her book stolen at the end of the month, exactly around the same time that we had our encounter in the Emerald Forest, and also the same time that books and information about the Grimm start disappearing everywhere around Vale. She says that her book has been passed down for generations, and I'm that as a Faunus, she probably doesn't have all that money, so she wouldn't be offering to pay one hundred thousand Lien unless the book _itself_ was extremely valuable. What if, and I'm just brainstorming here… what if that book contained rare information about the Grimm?"

"Ruby, we are not doing this," Weiss protested.

"No, I'm serious," Ruby exclaimed. "We need to figure out what Ozpin has been hiding from us, and all of our other leads have gone dark. This could be the key that we were looking for. Don't you want to find out the truth?"

"Of course, I do," Weiss said defensively. "It's just that this doesn't seem very well thought out. We're not professional Huntresses. It could be very dangerous."

"More dangerous than taking a Grimm head-on?" Blake spoke up. "I mean, Ruby has a point. I don't just want to sit by and let Ozpin get away with keeping things from us. If this woman might have information to help us fight the Grimm—and that is a very big if—I don't see what the harm would be in checking."

"You people are crazy," Weiss groaned, slapping her forehead. Yang, on the other hand, stretched out in her seat, trying to phrase her words carefully.

"I'm not sure, guys," she said slowly. "I mean, I wasn't exactly planning on spending Fall Break taking a fifteen-hour bus ride to possibly risk my life. It just seems like a lot on such a short notice."

"But Yang, you love spontaneous adventure," Ruby reminded her. "Think of all the fun it would be to go on a real Huntress mission. Think of all the bandits whose butts you'll get to kick."

"I'm don't know. I was really looking forward to having this week off."

"Plus, if you go," Blake said factually, "you'll probably get to keep the reward money."

"Miss Zaripova, I am on the case!" Yang announced proudly, jumping to her feet.

Weiss threw her arms in the air in shock. "I can't believe you people! You're seriously planning on doing this? If you really want to learn about the Grimm from this Faunus, can't you just call her or something?"

"Sorry to say, but I don't think she'd want to talk to a bunch of random kids," Velvet said wisely. "She probably won't trust us enough unless you meet her personally. Faunus can be pretty closed off, understandably so."

Weiss collapsed her face into her hands. "I cannot believe you are doing this. There is no chance in hell I am ever going to travel with—"

* * *

The very next day, Weiss packed her suitcase underneath the bus, and sat solemnly between Ruby and Yang as the bus left the station in Vale. She would remain on the bus for fifteen hours, stewing in her own resentment as Team RWBY went off on their first official mission together. It would not end well.


	26. The Backwater Town

**Note: Happy belated Thanksgiving. Sorry for the late update. Expect these to slow down for the next month as life gets really hectic. This chapter was a bit difficult to write, as our computer suddenly died and we lost almost all of our progress, forcing us to rewrite from scratch, so sorry if it feels a bit hasty. Also, this chapter is where we introduce _another_ big important change to our RWBY AU, one that has a lot of consequences down the road, so we hope you like it. Enjoy.**

* * *

Brooksbarrow, Vegis County.

If Weiss Schnee was to picture the embodiment of a backwater, purposeless Valian town, Brooksbarrow would be a near-perfect match for the image in her mind. She could tell something was wrong the second she got off the bus as her sore legs stepped onto the crude, unpaved street. She was off-balance in her heels atop the pebbles and dirt, and upon checking her surroundings, it appeared the entire town was in need of a good deep cleaning. Not that there was much of any town to speak of, only a few rows of creaky wooden buildings left in the middle of a maze of evergreen trees and dry dirt. A clump of dust flew into the air as she planted her suitcase beside her, and she cleared her throat as her teammates found their way off the bus.

"So, Ruby, you're sure there's a place where we can stay?" Weiss asked impatiently. Fifteen hours on a bus had made her crankier than usual, and considering that the sun had already set on the first day of their fall break and nothing had been accomplished but those fifteen hours on a bus, there was good reason for her temper.

"There's supposed to be one," Ruby said unsurely, checking her Scroll for details. "Uh… yes! That building over there is a motel."

A motel. Weiss had heard stories of the dreaded "motel", a place where all hopes of a good night's rest went to die. She had been thankful that she had never encountered the wretched things before, but once again Ruby Rose and her insistent desires had led her astray. The motel was, from the exterior, much like the other plain, wooden buildings that made up Brooksbarrow, only a bit longer and more prone to sag at the edges. The girls reluctantly made their way to their improbably rest, trying to scan the rest of the town for signs of life to no avail. Small. Quiet. Almost abandoned. It was only when they got close to the motel did Weiss finally see another living Soul. A smooth-faced, slightly overweight woman sat behind a counter on the building's far left side, her features barely illuminated by a single, exposed bulb dangling over her head. The woman stared blankly at her Scroll, and even as Weiss approached the counter, she did not look up from her device until the heiress knocked lightly on the countertop.

"Hi. We need two rooms," Weiss stated.

"We don't have two rooms," said the woman, eye still glued to the screen in her hand.

"You don't?"

"Most of our rooms are booked, or under repair. We've got one room."

Weiss groaned. She could have argued. She wanted to argue. Yet, the bus had drained all of the ferocity that she had left. "Fine. We'll take it. Four nights."

"Sounds good to me," said the woman, extending her hand for her payment. Weiss fumbled around in her belongings until she found her credit card, and handed it over to the others' surprise.

"Do you feel all right paying for this?" asked Yang.

"Do any of you have any money?" Weiss retorted. After there was no answer, Weiss collected her card and the room key from the smooth-faced woman and rolled her eyes. "Exactly."

When she opened the door to the motel room, the first thing she felt was a sense of grief wash over her. The room was small, and pathetically so, maybe even two-thirds the size of their actual dorm. There were hardly any fixtures save for a nightstand with a dim lamp settled between two queen-sized beds, and a bathroom at the back. To her right was the dingiest television set she had ever laid eyes on, and as she looked around for a place to dump her belongings, she realized that there would barely be a place to fit all four of them together let alone all their stuff.

"Dibs on the bathroom!" Yang accounted, shoving past Weiss and knocking her out of her train of thought. The rest of the girls filed into the room, and Weiss took a seat on the edge of one of the mattresses, which might as well have been carved from marble for how rigid it was. Blake carefully shut the door behind them as Ruby threw herself face first onto the other bed, and groaned loudly into a pillow.

"Why do bus rides make you so tired?" she asked desperately. "Seriously, you aren't doing anything but sitting in a chair. How can it be this exhausting?"

"You were napping half the time," Weiss claimed. "You don't get to complain about it. I was awake and smushed between you the entire time. It was not pleasant."

"Speaking of sleep," said Blake, standing in front of the television and gesturing back and forth between the beds, "how do you want to do this?"

"Oh, right," Ruby said awkwardly. "Well… I guess me and Yang could share a bed together, not that there's much room. That would mean that if you two are comfortable—"

"Not happening," Blake said with a firm shake of her head. "I'll just take a pillow and find a place to sleep on the floor."

"Blake, you don't have to do that for me," Weiss said suddenly. Blake stared at her questioningly.

"You're saying I shouldn't let you have the bed all to yourself?"

"No, you absolutely should," Weiss clarified. "I'm just saying that you don't _have_ to. As my dueling partner, you mustn't subject yourself to sleeping on the floor like an animal."

"Thanks, but no thanks," said Blake. "As incredibly funny it would be to literally snuggle up next to a Schnee, I'm not too good with the whole 'personal space' thing. Also, you totally look like someone who would keep stealing the blanket, so it's going to be a hard pass."

"Suit yourself," Weiss said with a shrug, and leaned back into the mattress as she tried to find a comfortable position. She was starving, but her heavy eyelids were overruling any of her other natural impulses. The thin blankets rustled beneath her as she shifted back and forth, and it was only a matter of seconds before her mind drifted elsewhere. "So, what's our plan for tomorrow?"

"We go into town and ask around to see if we could find Miss Zaripova," Ruby said tiredly. "And then, once we find her, we try to get more details about that book."

"That might not be the best idea," Blake stated.

"Why not?" groaned Ruby, her glasses drooping off her face as she sank deeper into her pillow.

"Just a feeling," Blake said distantly. "I mean, a small town like this, a Faunus, four strangers with Huntress weapons… something tells me that we don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

"You say that like you have experience," Weiss remarked.

"Like I said, it's just a feeling," Blake shrugged.

"On the subject of feelings," Weiss added, "is no one else going to mention the glaringly obvious question about this assignment?"

"Why didn't we take an airship?" asked Blake.

"How did a Faunus get her hands on a hundred thousand Lien?" Weiss asked aloud. "I mean, I can't be the only one thinking that the woman is lying about the money just so she can get the attention of Huntsmen."

"I figured we could ask when we went to see her," Ruby said, struggling to stay awake. "Does it really matter where she gets the money?"

"Yes, it does," Weiss claimed sternly. "What if she obtained it illegally? The police did mark her case as one to be avoided, and that could be a reason why. I don't want to be dealing in fraudulent cash."

"That's a rich statement coming from you," Blake muttered under her breath.

"The money isn't even important," Ruby clarified. "We're here for the book. Don't overthink it."

"Well, sorry if I'm trying to be cautious," Weiss moaned. "I just think that maybe we should be a little suspicious of the vague Faunus lady offering money she certainly doesn't have to get something of such little value returned to her."

Ruby groaned, adjusting her place on the bed and raising herself up on one elbow. "Oh yeah, that's the other thing, Weiss. When we go to see her, do you think you can maybe try your best to be polite to her?"

"Why wouldn't I be polite to her?" Weiss asked, annoyed.

Ruby stammered uncomfortably, and Weiss stared at her, increasing the pressure. The smaller girl parsed her words carefully. "It's because… you know… you don't exactly have the most _progressive_ views on the Faunus."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Weiss said, her eyes narrowing.

"It means—" Ruby said before Blake cut her off.

"It means you're super racist."

To that, Weiss grimaced, scrunching her nose and turning to her side to face Blake, who took a relaxed seat on the bed next to her.

"I am _not_ racist against the Faunus," she protested.

"Are you sure about that?" Blake asked doubtingly. "Because something tells me that your views about the Faunus are pretty out there."

"Does me thinking that the Faunus need to take better care of themselves culturally, and that they live in crime and poverty, and that they are willing to constantly accept violent extremism make me a racist?" Weiss asked determinedly.

Blake blinked, her face unchanged. "Yes."

Weiss turned to the other bed. "Ruby, do you—"

"No, I agree with Blake on this one," Ruby said timidly. "That's… pretty bad."

"Okay, you girls have no faith in me," Weiss insisted. "It's not like I'm going to walk up to her and start shouting slurs in her face."

"As if that's what it took to be an asshole," Blake said snidely.

"And what exactly _does_ it take?" Weiss said in protest. Blake remained silent, stewing in some distant thought to which Weiss would never be privy. It wasn't until Ruby reached across the gap and gently placed her hand on Weiss's shoulder did the heiress's defenses lower.

"Look, just… don't be rude," Ruby pleaded. "Don't stare at her, or say something under your breath, or anything that would make her feel different. Act like you actually want to be there."

She didn't. She really didn't. She never wanted to take that job in the first place, and the buried temptation of learning about the thing that attacked her in the dark was not worth the stress of the task itself. However, at some point, the words of her sister came to her, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and remembered, ever so briefly, that being a Huntress required doing things that made her uncomfortable, and as a warrior and a Schnee, it was her responsibility to handle her duties with the care and professionalism that they deserved.

"I promise," Weiss stated pointedly, "that I will show no disrespect to Miss Zaripova, and I will treat her with honor and dignity. Does that make you happy?"

"No, not really," said Blake. "Not being a raging bigot would make _me_ happy."

"I'm not trying to make you happy," Weiss countered. "I'm trying to make Ruby happy, and by proxy, get our job done. Is that okay?"

Ruby spent a moment in contemplation before groggily nodding her head and returning to her rest. "I guess we'll see in the morning."

The morning could not come soon enough. The stiff beds, the dry air and cramped conditions meant that even as Ruby's natural instincts forced her to sleep, her rest was not a comfortable one. It didn't help that Yang practically smothered her to death with her massive arms, a side effect of sharing a space barely big enough for one person. Somehow, she managed to survive through it, and woke from her dreamless state just as the sun was starting to shine in through the curtains on the front window. In a dazed state, she managed to shove Yang's half-naked body off her and stumble her way into a far too cold shower, the jolt of which was finally enough to kickstart her brain into thinking through her plans for the day. Blake had raised a decent point; relying on the information of untrustworthy locals was a recipe for disaster. They would likely have to find Zelina Zaripova's location through some other means. Ruby did not have to think hard about why she never gave her specific address in her request, and she understood the reasoning, but that did not make it any less of a pain. She also decided that bringing along their weapons would only draw further unnecessary scrutiny, and would probably do more to kill off their leads than ward off danger.

It was through these revelations that Ruby constructed her plan for the day: The RWBY Investigative Crew. Each team member would be granted their own unique assignment, ranging from investigating local hangouts to checking in with current police reports on the area. With her innocence, Weiss's money, Blake's knowledge and yang's charisma, they would slowly and methodically work the town over for information as to Zelina's whereabouts, until they eventually whittled down her location to a point. It would likely take a full day, maybe even two, but it was thorough, and would likely yield information that was crucial down the line. It could have been tightened, undoubtedly, but it was good for what she had to work with, and as she stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in an unfavorably hard woolen towel, she felt like it could actually produce results. Then, she opened the bathroom door, and was immediately greeted with Blake's face two inches in front of her, causing her to jump back and instantly slip on the wet floor, crashing hard on her rear.

"Found her."

"What?" Ruby asked in shock, desperately scrambling to her feet, arms pressed tightly against her towel.

"Zelina. I found her," Blake said unshaken.

Ruby regained her balance, her heart beating rapidly in her ears from the sudden sight of her teammate. "What do you mean you found her?"

"She lives two miles east from here. There's a dusty path beyond the old pub that leads right to her," Blake explained with a shrug.

"When did you… how did you…" Ruby stammered.

"It really wasn't that hard," Blake said plainly.

Ruby's jaw practically snapped off its hinges. Her plan, her most beautiful plan, was falling apart in front of her, and Blake didn't even have the audacity to apologize. It was beyond the norms of decency.

"But… the RWBY Investigative Crew…" she said despondently.

"I have no idea what that is, but that sounds incredibly stupid," Blake stated. She returned to her bedside, and gently smacked Weiss on the back of the head, shocking the snoring heiress awake. "Come on, we should head out soon. A lot of Faunus tend to sleep in the middle of the day."

"Do _you_ ever sleep?" asked Ruby, going to fetch her clothes from her suitcase. Blake merely shrugged off the question.

"Not if I can help it."

Getting the rest of the team ready was a hassle, but through hard work and determination, Team RWBY managed to get out of the front door to the motel room in twenty minutes, and headed off through town. The townsfolk had just started to rise with the sun, and a few faces peaked out of shuttered doorways to watch the four strange girls walk past, heading towards the dusty trail past where the prime of their civilization ended. Their gazes only made Ruby feel more distant, and it was somewhat a relief as they came to the dusted trail and headed off into the woods away from where the others lied. The trees and soil were an entirely different beast than the Emerald Forest, and even from the woods back at her home; they were more open and empty, with not the sound of a chirping bird or the sight of a wild stag anywhere to be found. Perhaps the townspeople had warded them off years before, forcing them to retreat deeper into the woods like the Faunus herself. Or, perhaps it had always been dead, not filled with the malevolence of Brooksbarrow, but of nothing but the things that were already decayed long before their jaded touch ever reached the soil.

Blake took the lead of the pack, and Ruby had noticed a strange urgency to her step. The others seemed to be acting normally, with Yang humming a tune to herself to pass the minutes and Weiss trailing behind. But Blake had already demonstrated her eagerness to meet Miss Zaripova, and combined with her original agreement to join the assignment, Ruby had to wonder whether the shadow girl who cared for nothing was finally starting to turn a corner. She would not ask, of course, because she knew she would receive no straight answer, but her inductive reasoning was usually rather solid, and she wondered how much further she could stretch Blake's motivations. Was that the secret to making her belong? The Grimm, or the Faunus? Maybe she was driven by spite at Ozpin, and a desire to gather all truths that someone else deemed too important to tell her.

It was because of these thoughts that Ruby hardly noticed when Blake came to a sudden stop, and she picked her gaze up from her feet to see where the trail had finally led. The house of Zelina Zaripova was a broken one, old and crafted of splintered wood that had begun to sag on its edges. Its face was scarred by broken windows, and its dark color forced it to appear forever in shadow. It stood in a field of nothing, but behind it Ruby could catch the faintest glimpses of green, a lowly garden in a crowd of dust, and beyond that, an old stone well that reached deep into the earth. Ruby felt older simply by looking at it, and she hesitated before stepping carefully onto the front porch, hearing the building groan and stutter beneath her feet.

"Yeah," said Weiss dryly, "this _totally_ looks like the house of someone who has one hundred thousand Lien."

"Hey, Weiss?" Blake asked. "Shut the fuck up for a second."

Ruby put her teammates' comments behind her and approached the old door, and with a deep breath, she knocked on it thrice and took a step back. At first, there was no response but the howling of the wind. Ruby expected as much. It was early, and they were unannounced visitors at the home of someone who did not want to be bothered. But as the seconds passed and Weiss was beginning to get the urge to bail, and Yang was shifting impatiently on her feet, and Blake was standing with her arms crossed waiting for the inevitable, Ruby heard footsteps from inside the house, drawing closer and closer until they came to a stop just behind the door, and a broken, frightened voice called out to them.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"Um... Miss Zaripova?" Ruby said timidly. "My name is Ruby Rose. I'm a Huntress-in-training at Beacon Academy. These are my teammates." Ruby gestured back, and Blake quickly took up the cue to step forward and introduce herself.

"Blake Belladonna."

"Yang Xiao Long. Hi, there," the blonde added with a wave. In the far back, Weiss cleared her throat.

"And I'm Weiss Schn-" the heiress paused, quickly realizing who she was speaking to, and the weight her name would bear. "Schnnnnnote. Weiss Schnote."

"We're, uh, here because we got the request you sent about finding a stolen book," Ruby stated calmly.

Zelina growled from the cover of her house. "I was told that the Huntsmen Guilds rejected my request."

"They did," Ruby noted, "but they sent it to Beacon Academy for our Huntsmen Partnerships, and we accepted your case."

"So, they sent a bunch of students?" Zelina asked doubtingly. "Aren't you supposed to have partners in a Huntsman Partnership?"

"That's, um... outdated," Ruby said nervously. "They just changed the program this year. Now they only send out the students."

"Do you have any ID? How do I know if I can trust you?" Zelina asked harshly.

"Miss Zaripova, I know you are worried, and you have every right to be," Ruby said understandingly, "but we came a very long way just to see you, and we would be grateful if you could just hear us out. And then, after that, if you still don't trust us, we'll promise we'll leave and never come back. But we can't help you get back was taken if you won't let us, so could you please just open the door so we could talk about this?"

Zelina went quiet. Thinking, no doubt, about what to do next. Ruby probably would not have opened the door if she was in Zelina's shoes. There was no telling what could go wrong. And yet, something she said must have rang true, because a few seconds later she heard the sound of latches clicking opened, and eventually the door cracked open and a woman appeared from the darkness of the home within.

Ruby had never seen a Faunus before. Sure, she had caught glimpses of them in the distant and on television, but she did not believe that she ever saw one up close. That all changed in the moment when Zelina opened that door, and Ruby was ashamed in the way that she stared at the strange creature before her. Dressed in hard, blue fabrics, Zelina stood hunched in the doorway, scanning the girls with cold, canine eyes. The skin on her neck and the edges of her cheeks and the back of her arms was coated in patches of dark, matted fur, and her fingers were long and misshapen, ending with long, thick nails better suited as claws. Her hair, like the rest of her, was greying at the edges, and atop the right side of her head was a single, droopy ear, its twin having been mutilated to a stump on the opposite side. Her nose was a shade darker than the rest of her, and when she grimaced, she showed her teeth to be just as lopsided and weary as the rest of her, their sharp tips threatening to cut into her own mouth, causing a slight impediment to her speech. A Faunus: a bizarre and unnatural blend between Human and animal. Ruby had never seen one before. In Zelina's case, she could say with certainty that the latter had taken over.

"So," Zelina Zaripova said quietly, her clawed hand scraping against the door, "would you girls like to come inside?"


	27. Zelina Zaripova

**Note: Yes, we said we wouldn't upload another chapter for a while. Then, a break in our schedule appeared, and so here we are. We said we would introduce a change with major implications, though funnily enough, pretty much no one picked up on it, or if they did, they didn't bother telling us (this is why leaving feedback is so important, people). So, we've made sure to _really_ drive the point home this time about the major change to one of the characters. And yes, we are aware of how that change absolutely alters everything in the entire story. We have something radically different plan, so trust us. Or don't trust us. We lie constantly. You know what's not a lie? This new chapter. We are writing this at 2:15 a.m. on a Tuesday. We are tired. Enjoy.**

* * *

"I'm going to be honest, I wasn't expecting visitors," Zelina said quietly, ushering the young Huntresses inside. As the girls stepped inside, they were greeted with the side of organized chaos. There was hardly an inch of the interior not covered in knickknacks, sculptures and assorted belongings, each looking like they had been either constructed from scratch or picked up from flea markets. The Faunus had been working from a budget, and Ruby made care not to touch anything as she was led to the center of the room, where an old, saggy futon sat atop a dusty red rug, next to a lonesome armchair and the flimsiest coffee table Ruby had ever seen. "Take a seat. I'll go fetch some tea."

Ruby paused for a moment, her legs unresponsive as she stared at the couch as if it might give way beneath her, but eventually, she forced herself to sit. Yang plopped herself down next to her and instinctually putting up her feet on the table before Blake came and swatted her down. She wandered over to the windowsill, leaning up against it as she saw Weiss awkwardly saunter towards a shelf of assorted collectibles. After a few minutes of waiting in anxious silence, the girls heard a whistle, and Zelina returned with a tray of tea cups, which she placed on the table before taking a cup and a seat beside them. Ruby carefully took a cup for herself and sipped; the brew was surprisingly warm and flavorful, and she after she satisfied herself, she refocused her attention to the task at hand.

"So, Miss Zaripova, would you mind telling us what happened that night when your book was stolen?" she asked.

"Well, I wasn't doing much of anything that night. I was reading something in my bedroom when I heard a commotion from out here," Zelina explained. She motioned to the bookshelf in the back corner, where a safe had been exposed from behind its texts. "When I came out, I saw my belongings broken on the floor and two men rummaging around the bookshelf. They had taken the book out from the safe, and I chased after them, but they escaped into the woods. I didn't go after them."

"Did you see their faces?" asked Ruby.

"No, they were wearing masks," Zelina stated. "They were covered from head-to-toe, and didn't say anything either."

"So, you wouldn't be able to recognize them if you saw them again," Ruby said solemnly.

Zelina traced one of her nails against her neck. "There are lots of Humans in this town. It's hard to tell them apart."

"Right," Yang said uncomfortably. "So, this book of yours... it had to be pretty valuable if someone was willing to steal it, right?"

"Truthfully... I'm not sure," Zelina stated. "I can't imagine why anyone would want to take it."

"It's not worth any money?" questioned Ruby.

"Maybe... I'm not sure... fifteen, twenty Lien?" Zelina shrugged. "The book is rare, I'll admit that. But I can't imagine that anyone would try to make any money off it."

"Why not?" Yang followed. "I mean, you did keep it locked in a safe for a reason."

"The book is valuable to _me_ ," Zelina specified. "It was a gift from my mother, passed down through her family line for generations. She gave it to me for safekeeping just before she passed. It's the only thing I have left of her."

"I'm sorry for your loss," said Ruby. Zelina barely reacted, taking a sip of tea to wash down whatever lingering feelings remained of her past. Her tone had been hushed the entire conversation, but at the mention of her mother, she became almost mute, cowering inward. A deep anger seemed to permeate within her, and Ruby took consideration not to broach the topic further, aware that she had done all she could as the hundred thousand Lien bounty suddenly became clearer. However, something still tugged at the back of her mind, and despite the fact that she brought the Faunus to an edge, she knew she had to press on.

"Can I ask something else then?" Ruby stated. Zelina's lone ear perked up, and Ruby thought carefully before phrasing her next sentence. "This book of yours, did it—and I know this might sound strange, but—did it contain any passages about fairy tales? _Grimm_ fairy tales, specifically?"

Zelina cocked her head, marveling at the strange question before slowly nodding her head. "Why are you asking?"

"Well, we need to know what the book is if we're going to go looking for it," Ruby hastily explained.

"Then actually... it is," Zelina claimed, a bizarre sense of panic growing. "Somewhat, anyway. It's a collection of a lot of old stories and legends passed down through Faunus culture. The book is mostly a historical piece, but there are quite a number of passages about fairy tales in them."

"And the Grimm?" Weiss asked suddenly from the back of the room. Zelina shot a harsh glance at her, striking the clearly-disturbed girl with her eyes before reluctantly answering.

"I... yes. It's only a few pages, but I believe there may be something about Grimm in the book."

With that, the girls exchanged knowing glances, and the dull atmosphere of the broken house suddenly came alive. Zelina watched the girl's intent faces with a sideways glance, her distrustful nature taking over until she had to take a moment to recuse herself, barely keeping her breath together. When she returned a few seconds later, she found the two girls on the couch excitingly whispering about something, and stood over them, focusing her frustration on the meek redheaded child.

"What are you whispering about?"

"Oh, nothing," Ruby tried to argue, but Zelina growled.

"Don't keep secrets from me in my house," she snapped, her malformed teeth mangling her words. Ruby scooted closer to her sister in surprise, who wrapped an arm around her without hesitation.

"Hey, calm down," Yang snapped back. "We're not trying to hide something from you."

" _Everyone_ tries to hide things from me," Zelina sneered. Her fingers twitched and danced, and Ruby's eyes briefly locked onto her sharp claws, able to tear out her throat in a matter of seconds. The rest of Zelina's more human features faded in the house's shadows, and it took as much self-restraint as possible not to panic. She would have been embarrassed if she wasn't frightened; of all the warnings to Weiss not to treat the poor Faunus differently, there she was, scared and cuddling to her sister while the heiress stood stoically in the corner of the room, unphased due to having already expected the worst. Eventually, by some grace of God, Zelina's temper cooled. Perhaps it was seeing the young girl's trembling features, but some deep sense of self-awareness triggered within the Faunus, and she shrank before them, folding her arms over her chest and retreating back to her chair as if nothing ever happened between them.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked worriedly.

"I… yes. I'm sorry," Zelina whispered, clicking her jaw, reveling in the familiar sensation of her jagged teeth scraping against the underside of her upper lip. "I have some anger issues that I've been dealing with. It can be very difficult to… remain _calm_ sometimes."

Zelina's eyes cast away from the girls, and Ruby took the opportunity to shift away from Yang's grasp, trying to regain whatever sense of formality remained in the room.

"That's okay," she said meekly. "We weren't trying to keep secrets. We were actually going to tell you that we think we might have a lead."

"You do?"

"Many books about the Grimm have been going missing recently," Weiss explained, her tone unfiltered by pleasantries. "If the thieves only took that book and nothing else, then it probably means that they were looking for it specifically. And why else would they want your worthless book if not for that?"

Zelina grimaced her mind racing. "But, why would anyone—"

"Government conspiracy about evil demon monsters," Yang said simply. The others stared at her bitterly, but she shrugged their judging eyes away. "What? We said we weren't keeping secrets."

"You could have phrased it less… like that," Weiss moaned

"How would you have phrased it?" Yang retorted.

"I don't know!"

"The _point_ is," Ruby interjected, realizing that the poor Faunus was getting more lost by the second, "we think that the local police might have taken your book from you."

Zelina clasped her hands together and rested her chin upon them, eyes sweeping the floor like she was trying to find the answers on its splintered surface. She took a heavy sigh, and casually brushed her thumb across the bridge of her nose. "No, that doesn't… it's not very possible. It doesn't really make sense. First of all, if the police really wanted my book, they could have just come by and taken it with a faulty warrant. No one would care if they abused their power against me. Second, they barely have a presence here in Brooksbarrow. The nearest station is ten miles north of here. And most importantly, they would have no idea that I even had the book, because I've never told anyone about it."

"So, you're the only one who knows what's in that book?" Ruby asked, her confidence fleeting. "Nobody else knows at all?"

"Well, I mean, Yulia knows about it," Zelina said before suddenly stopping herself. "No, that wouldn't mean anything."

"Yulia?"

"Yulia Chesterfield," Zelina stated. "She's the owner of the pub in town. You probably passed by it on your way here. When I first came to Brooksbarrow two years ago, Yulia was the one person who welcomed me here. She helped me set up this house, and a garden of my own to grow food, and she helped me put my life back together after very difficult times. She's the only person in this entire town—or, I guess, maybe this whole world—who I can still talk to and feel safe around. She's also the only other person who knows what that book means to me… and what it contains."

"Well, if she's the only person who knows about the book…" Yang mentioned, but Zelina silenced her.

"No. Not her. She wouldn't do that," Zelina said with absolute certainty. She mused quietly to herself, grabbing a strand of her long hair and gently stroking it as she did so. "Yulia is a good Human. She's a very, very good Human."

Ruby sighed, readjusting her glasses. Back to square one. No leads. No information. Just a Faunus and her obsessions left in a cave of her own making. It was as if fate was teasing them, finally granting them the knowledge of the Grimm only to take it away without a second thought. She had to think deeper. Assuming this "Yulia Chesterfield" was innocent as to be believed, who else in the town would want to steal a random book from a Faunus? If she was a thief, why would she steal something so worthless? Unless she didn't know it was worthless when she took it. But why would she assign any value to it? Well, it was in a safe. Safe's have value. Had they been overthinking it? A coincidence? Two men hear about a Faunus and her random treasures and decide they want to have fun. They break into the house and rummage around until they find a random safe, open it up and take the first thing inside before the Faunus shows up and scares them off. No meaning. No ill will. Just a couple of robbers having their night to themselves. And the four of them had simply been led along by a conspiracy of their own making. It was entirely possible, if not probable. Still, there was always the other possibility—that Miss Chesterfield was not as friendly as Zelina implied, but Ruby kept that thought to herself.

"Miss Zaripova, you wouldn't happen to know of any gangs in the town, would you?" Ruby asked.

"Oh yeah," Yang added. "If there aren't any cops around, that might mean that local gangs have taken control of the town, right? Couldn't they be responsible?"

"There is one gang that could be, but," Zelina said dismissively, "they've been leaving me alone for so long. Yulia said she made an agreement with them that she would stop serving them drinks if they came close to me."

"Who are these people exactly?" questioned Weiss.

"Some group of thugs called the Droogs," Zelina stated. "A vicious, nasty bunch of Humans. Yulia tells me that there isn't a Human in town that they haven't at least threatened. You best stay away from them before you get on their radar—they don't like strange people coming into this town and messing up their business. Then again, no one here does."

The Droogs. The Droogs. The Droogs, the Droogs, the Droogs—Ruby had heard that name before. Somewhere in a distant memory, it toyed with her and teased her. Was it a news report? Something she heard in the background? No. A newspaper? Not that either. Did Yang mention it one time? Or Blake? Or what about Professor Goodwitch. That name seemed more appropriate. But Goodwitch rarely talked about gangs, so that could not be it. The only time she ever even remotely thought about gangs was when Goodwitch came to her house to congratulate her on assisting in the arrest of—

Ruby's eyes grew wide. _Oh yes. That._

"Hey, sis, you okay?" Yang asked, concerned.

"Oh, yeah, everything's fine," Ruby lied. "It's just that I remembered where I heard about the Droogs before. They were the name of Roman Torchwick's gang."

Yang leaped out of her seat. "What? Him? Here?"

"The remnants, probably," Ruby theorized, "or maybe a different faction out in the countryside. But, yeah, Roman Torchwick's gang is out here. That's probably not good."

"I'm sorry," Zelina interrupted. "What's so bad about this Roman Torchwick?"

"Well, you see—"

"Ruby chopped his arm off with a giant scythe," Yang stated, "and then that ended up leading to his arrest, and Ruby's face got plastered all over a bunch of newspaper as a local hero. So, if those Droogs found out she was here, they'd totally want to murder her." She paused, noticing the rest of her team staring frustratingly at her. "Okay, can you guys stop doing that?"

Zelina bowed her head. "You four are definitely an _interesting_ bunch, aren't you?"

"Well, aside from my risk of imminent death just multiplying by ten," Ruby said, taking a deep breath, "it shouldn't matter too much to our overall mission. Honestly, I think we may have to leave it from here, Miss Zaripova."

"Are you sure?" Zelina asked. "You can't think of anything else right now?"

"No, but we won't get any further sitting around. I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out… eventually," Ruby promised unsurely. From a simple glance, she could tell that the answer was unsatisfactory, and the Faunus's hope seemed to fade by the second.

"In that case," Zelina said disappointed, slowly rising from her chair, "I guess there isn't much more to say except—"

"Wait."

Zelina paused. The voice in the back of the room was forceful, and the girl of pure white was eying the Faunus carefully, not releasing her gaze for a single moment. Zelina felt the air freeze between them, and she already sensed the dread pooling up in her stomach, creeping its way up to her chest.

"The money," Weiss demanded. "Where is it?"

Zelina was still but for her ear, which twitched nervously atop her head. "I… I don't…"

"The request you put in for the Huntsmen Guilds said that you were offering a reward of one hundred thousand Lien," Weiss said punctually. "Where is it?"

Zelina stammered. "Look, if it's the money you are really worried about, I'll make sure you get paid when the job is done."

"You don't _have_ one hundred thousand Lien," Weiss said accusingly. "I'd be amazed if you had a tenth of that or even a hundredth of that. You were lying to us."

"There are places I can get the money from," Zelina said anxiously, fidgeting her claws together. "If you just give me a few days, I can get some loans and—"

"That's not good enough," Weiss said strictly. "We're going to need something better than that."

"Weiss, please," Ruby called to her friend, but the heiress disregarded her.

"No, this is important," she declared. "We came all the way here for this stupid book, and now not only does it barely have any information in it, but there's now a potential threat against your life as well. There needs to be _something_ that makes this trip worth it for us."

"I am doing the best that I can!" Zelina shouted suddenly, and Weiss became quiet. The Faunus stepped forward, slashing her hand through the air, her face contorted into something fierce. "If all you want is the damn money, I will get you the damn money. And if that's not good enough, you can take my possessions. You can take my house, and my food, and my clothes, and my skin and bones and every last piece of me. Take _everything_! That's all you Humans ever do anyway is take and take and _take_ , so go ahead and do it! I don't care anymore about what it costs to get the job done, I just… I just want it done already!"

Zelina's words fell out of her uncontrollably, and then came the tears, unexpected like a rainfall on a summer's day trailing down her face and melting into the displaced fur on the edges of her cheeks, and then there she was, a broken, sad little thing crying in the open in front of four strangers who were staring at her with a mix of shock and empathy. Zelina turned sharply, and returned to her seat, not knowing where else to go in the house filled with thousands of painful memories. At some point, it had simply become too much, and she didn't even bother to try to hold herself as she wept in her chair.

"I just… I just want my book back," she sobbed. "I don't want to lose anything else."

Weiss Schnee, prideful and arrogant as she was, was able to recognize when she made a mistake. The words, "I'm sorry," rushed to her tongue, but she found herself incapable of putting them into the world. Instead, she quietly retreated towards the front exit, hoping that the moment would pass behind her. Ruby and Yang were too afraid to move, unable to look away from the tragic scene mere feet in front of them. The person who wasn't afraid to move, however, was Blake—Blake Belladonna, who had spent the entire conversation in complete silence, watching the interrogation from behind the couch like a miniature stage drama, absorbing every detail of the house and of Zelina's face and frame as she could, and knowing that it was best not to say anything.

That had changed. Blake approached Zelina's chair without any caution, and as she did so, she reached up to her head, and gently unclipped the bow on top of her head. She knelt by Zelina's side as the bow fell away; the others had perhaps realized that they had never seen her with her bow off, but there was nothing particularly interesting underneath except a smooth, unmarked head of raven hair. At the moment, removing the bow simply seemed like the right thing to do, and as she held the accessory firmly in one hand, and placed her other hand on top of Zelina's, her grip dissolving into the matted fur.

"Hey," she said simply, drawing the Faunus's tearful eyes. "We are going to find the people responsible for this. We are going to make them pay for this, and we are going to get your book back to you. I swear it on everything that we have—we are going to fix this." She cast a disapproving glance back at Weiss, muttering harshly. "And we are going to do it for _free_. Isn't that right, Miss Schote?"

The heiress dipped her head. "Of course, we are. That's the noble thing to do in this situation."

Zelina stared wistfully at the young girl kneeling by her chair, but when she opened her mouth, the words escaped her. She could only let out a chocked gasp and hastily moved to wipe away her tears with her open palm. Blake didn't need to hear anything to understand the message; with a quick motion, she rose back to her feet and clipped the bow back into place on her head before heading towards the door. Weiss hurriedly followed her outside, and seeing them go, the sisters picked themselves off the couch and went to join them.

"Don't worry, Miss Zaripova," Ruby said as she ushered Yang outside. "We'll try to keep you updated if we find anything. You'll have your book back in no time."

The Faunus nodded as Ruby shut the door behind her, leaving the damaged woman alone to her things and her solitude. Somehow, Blake's promise, empty as it truly may have been, made her feel better, and the old wolf was able to relax her nerves and crack her jaw as she reflected on her bothersome visitors and what the next few days could bring. Outside, Ruby Rose had felt much the same as she bounded down the porch and onto the dusty path beneath the trees, where the rest of her team was gathering in a circle.

"Damn, Blake, that was intense," Yang whistled. "I thought you didn't care about any of this?"

"I don't," Blake said distantly. "I just don't like bullies."

"So, do we have any leads or don't we?" Weiss asked, trying to push the topic forward as fast as she could.

"Well, I guess we have two," Ruby stated. "The Droogs are our most likely targets, and the most dangerous, so they should be our top priority. Still, we should probably also check in with Yulia Chesterfield and see if she knows anything that can help us."

"You know, I hate to say it," Blake grunted, "but if we split into pairs, we'll get our work done a whole lot faster."

Ruby gasped with excitement. "You mean… we should form the RWBY Investigative Crew?"

"I am not calling it that, but yes," Blake nodded.

"Sweet!" Ruby hummed. "If that's the case, we're breaking up into teams of two. Yang and Blake, the two of you need to go into town and investigate the Droog presence. Find out anything you can about them. In the meantime, Weiss and I will head to the pub and see if we can get Miss Chesterfield to talk to us."

"You sure you're okay with traveling with me?" Weiss asked suspiciously.

"It just makes sense," Ruby claimed. "Blake knows more about criminal behavior than the rest of us, and Yang can be there to punch her way out of trouble if something goes wrong. I also probably need to stay as far away from the Droogs as possible just in case one of them happens to recognize me. Besides, nothing too terrible should happen if it's just the two of us. We don't hate each other anymore, right?"

"If I recall, my feelings for you are stuck somewhere between apathy and disgust," Weiss corrected her.

"Good enough. Are you okay with that, Yang?"

"Hey, I'm always cool with punching people," Yang said confidently, stretching her arms out above her head.

Blake shrugged in agreement. "I still hate the name though."

"Okay, team. We've got a Faunus in trouble, and a book to recover. Let's make our school proud." With a group nod, the two pairs began their trek back into town as the sun finally rose higher in the midday sky, ready to put the world right once more. The house faded into the shadows behind them as they approached the edges of civilization. The Droogs and Yulia Chesterfield. Two targets of unknown danger and knowledge. It was only a matter of time before the truth would finally be revealed to them.


	28. Searching in Brooksbarrow

**Note: You know something? This new Volume has done wonders for our motivation to write. After the last Volume, all of our desire to continue the story kind of faltered, but watching RWBY grow and learn from its past mistakes has been a real treat these past few weeks (regardless of what you think of the show overall). It really shows how some writing can inspire others. Anyway, not much else to say this time. Enjoy.**

* * *

Ruby had always considered herself a good seed. She did what her father asked of her, got good grades and school, and generally stayed out trouble for most of her life. She certainly was never the type of person who would enter a pub at such a young age for a rambunctious night of drinking and partying. Yang? Maybe. Not just maybe. She had done it once when she was sixteen. If Ruby recalled directly, it ended with the cops being called and three grown men being taken out on stretchers, and she had to watch from the back seat of her father's car as Tai gave Yang a very stern talking to, which she promptly dismissed. Good times.

But despite Ruby's insistence on being an extra squeaky-clean goodie two-shoes, she had somehow found her way entering the pub in the center of Brooksbarrow with not just a lack of caution, but actual eagerness. The bar's dingy lights and heavy shadows lining its interior, its thick smell of drunkenness which permeated even into the wooden barstools, the sound of old-timey music blasting from a countertop radio which was five years out of date, all of it and more should have made her skittish, but she stood in the entryway of the unclean establishment with a strange confidence. Part of it was that Weiss stood awkwardly by her side, her disgust more than evident in her eye alone, but the other part was simply the voice in the back of her mind that told her: _You are on an actual Huntress mission._

Granted, the circumstances weren't as glorious as she imagined in her childhood. Miss Zelina Zaripova's case was particularly nasty, and the case reeked of desperation rather than heroism. But Ruby was ever the optimist, and the youthful part of her brain did an excellent job segregating out those messy feelings and replace them with the hope that she could actually make a difference in another person's life, however small it may have been.

And to do that, she needed to find Yulia Chesterfield. It wasn't a very hard search. There were only two people in the pub on a Saturday afternoon, and something told Ruby that the big-bearded wasted fellow with the trucker cap who was nearly passed out on the back table probably was not the woman she was looking for. The other occupant was a woman of middle-age, who brushed her shoulder-length fire-colored hair out of her world-weary face as she scrubbed down from behind the counter, the sleeves on her dress shirt rolled up and her elbows covered in scabs. When the door opened, the bartender took one look at her new customers, and the scrubbing stopped just long enough for her to let out a grunt of disapproval.

"You girls looking for something?" she asked threateningly.

"Uh, yes," Ruby said, briefly taken aback by the woman's harsh tone. "We were wondering if we could—"

"Sorry, but I'm going to need to see some ID," the woman sneered. "I know there ain't a lot of cops around, but I'm not about to start handing drinks out to minors."

"Oh, no, we're not interested in that," Ruby said quickly. "Would you happen to know a Yulia Chesterfield?"

"What if I did?"

"We were wondering if we could speak to her for a minute," Ruby stated. "It's about Miss Zaripova. We think that she may be able to help us."

The woman's features softened and immediately stepped away from the bar, wiping away the sweat from her brow.

"Zelina?" the woman asked nervously. "I… I mean, yes. I'm Yulia Chesterfield."

"Can we talk to you, then? It will only take a few minutes," Ruby requested. Yulia looked worriedly to the other patron in the bar, still passed out at the table. She was likely thinking that she should have thrown him out ages ago, but her old heart had let her down once again.

"Listen, you two can't talk about that stuff out in the open around here," Yulia warned.

"Please. We think you can really help us," Ruby pleaded. Yulia moaned. Her bartender intuition told her what would happen if she tried too hard to dismiss a persistence customer, and since she did not feel like having to track down the police that evening, she relented and ushered the girls over to the bar. Ruby hopped onto the bar seat enthusiastically and quickly rested her elbows down on the table. Weiss followed slowly, brushing off the stool with her sleeve before taking her seat.

"Okay, so how do you two know Zelina?" Yulia asked, crossing her arms.

"She hired us," Ruby explained, lowering her voice. "We're Huntresses."

"You don't look like Huntresses."

"Huntresses-in-training," Ruby clarified. "We were sent as part of a Beacon training program."

"You shouldn't go blabbing about that either," Yulia said knowledgeably.

"We know, but we're hoping we can trust you. Zelina hired us because something that belonged to her was stolen recently."

"I know. She called me right after it happened," Yulia claimed. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can help you find it."

"You don't even know what we were going to say, though," Ruby trailed off.

"You were going to ask me if I've seen anything suspicious in town, or if I know anyone who would have a grudge against her or would want to harm her, right?" Yulia stated. "This isn't my first time dealing with Huntresses. Believe me, you're wasting your time speaking with me. You're not going to get that book back."

"You don't know that."

"Yeah, I do," Yulia sighed. "I don't know who took it from her, but this town is full of a lot of nasty people. Now I don't mind; serving nasty people is how I get paid. But for a Faunus, that means a lot of evil coming your way, and more importantly, it means people who are more than willing to step aside if something evil comes your way. Whoever stole that book probably figured out its worthless by now and burned it, or threw it away. Odds are she isn't getting it back, so she needs to get over it."

"You're saying she should give up?" Ruby asked, shocked.

"Not give up, girl. Get over it," Yulia said. She turned around to scan the endless bottles on the shelves behind her, and finding one to her liking, she began to pour herself a drink. "I've been trying to help her move past this for weeks, but she doesn't want to let go. She's turned herself into a wreck because of it, and no matter what I do, she keeps obsessing over it. I mean, I understand why… the poor thing has been through enough trauma in her life to deal with any more of this bullshit. Still, it sucks seeing her like that."

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you meet Zelina? And why are you helping her?"

"I met the woman when she came into town two years ago and stumbled into my bar. She had just been run out of her old town, and it's not like there were many other places to go. She had lost almost everything she had except for the few bags she carried with her. She was too poor to go to someplace like Menagerie, and I've always been a sucker for the desperate, so I gave her a place to stay. Eventually, I managed to hire some folks from out west and build that house for her, so she would have somewhere to call home. I wanted her to do well because we had some things in common."

Yulia finished pouring herself a tall beverage and steadily pounded it back before clanging the empty glass directly in front of Ruby, causing the young Huntress to yelp. "She had a daughter. Did you know that?"

"Um… no," Ruby said honestly. "I didn't."

"She doesn't talk about it much," Yulia groaned, irritated by something unseen. "She didn't tell me until I saw her one night holding a photograph of the two of them that she saved from her previous home. She's hellbent on keeping her secrets, even from those who are supposed to be close to her. That's something I could never stand about her. But again, I get it. It's a really hard thing having to bury one of your children. I can't imagine how hard it must be to know that you can't."

Ruby shuddered, removing her elbows from the table. Yulia, sensing the conversation drifting southwards, placed the bottle back on the shelf.

"I'm sorry I don't have more to tell you," Yulia muttered. "I'm sure you both mean well, but take my advice. If you really want to make this better, convince that girl to let her book go. If she keeps digging, not only is she not going to find it but if she _does_ find whoever is responsible, they may not be so kind to her next time."

Of course, that wasn't an option. Yulia didn't know how important that book meant not just Zelina, but to their mission overall. Retreating was impossible, and she had plenty more questions, but for the moment, Ruby determined that Yulia was no longer in the mood to spill any more details, and so with a thankful nod, Ruby stood up from her seat and tapped Weiss on the shoulder.

"If that's the way it is, then we appreciate you speaking with us," Ruby said graciously. "Come on, Weiss. We should meet up with the others."

The snow-haired princess hastily agreed, and the two left the pub with Yulia's judging eyes on their backs. Out in the street, the familiar scent and feel of clean air rushed to greet them, and they took a few steps into the open road to make sure they were out of earshot of any who might be listening.

"So… that wasn't very productive," Weiss muttered.

"Not really," Ruby said. She paused, glancing Weiss over. "Hey, are you okay? You didn't say anything the entire time."

"Oh, well," Weiss said clearing her throat, "I just… didn't feel like there was a need to say anything. You seemed to do an ample job with Zelina, so I let you do the talking."

"Huh. All right then," Ruby said suspiciously. A compliment from Weiss? Not just that, but one that was a boldfaced lie? Ruby was not at all a very confident or encouraging speaker. After all, Yang didn't make fun of her pathetic, high-pitched voice for years because she could talk. Weiss stammered awkwardly, and before Ruby had time to think about it any further, the heiress pushed onward.

"Besides, I was trying to gather any information that I could," she said quickly. "Did you notice anything off about her?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, like how she seemed _really_ intent on making sure that we didn't continue searching for the book?"

"Maybe that's just because she's concerned about her friend?"

"Or maybe it's because she's hiding something," Weiss said, staring back at the pub with untrusting eyes.

" _Or_ that's just you being overly suspicious of people… again," Ruby suggested.

"Possibly," Weiss said. "But that's the thing I've learned about people. Most of the time, it's good to be suspicious of them. You never know what they're trying to keep hidden from you."

* * *

So, what makes you think this is the place?" Yang asked. Blake pursed her lips.

"Intuition," she responded simply and continued to scan the horizon. She had led Yang across town to what somehow managed to be even further in the middle of nowhere, and though Yang was well aware of Blake's intelligent, she still found herself doubting. They stood fifty meters away from what Yang could only gather was a blacksmith in the center of a quiet marketplace, based on the forge hidden beneath a makeshift tent and the hefty, shirtless man going to work on a long, steel blade. It wasn't entirely uncommon for towns such as Brooksbarrow to attract such work; there were always bandits to fend off, and guns and more complex weapons like her own could be rather expensive. Still, it was somewhat of a surprise to see one, and Yang couldn't help herself but nudge Blake with her elbow and gesture suggestively towards him.

"Man, he's really putting in some good work," she said with a sly grin.

"Yep," Blake said, uninterested. "There he goes, doing blacksmith things… just pounding away hard at that metal."

"The metal's not the only thing I wish he'd pound away at," Yang said with a flick of her tongue.

"Wow. You're really proud of that one, aren't you?" Blake sighed. She rolled her eyes so heavily that they threatened to fall out of her head, but Yang still smiled, playfully placing her hand on Blake's shoulder.

"Oh, come on. That was good."

"It was really the opposite of that," Blake muttered dejectedly. "Also, you know we're on a serious mission here, right?"

"I know, I know," Yang groaned. "But why do you think this is where we're going to find something?"

"What do you know about criminals, Yang?" Blake inquired.

"Um, they like to break the law?" Yang shrugged.

"Okay, the Droogs are mostly made up of young men, late teens to early twenties," Blake explained. "So, pretend you're an ultraviolent seventeen-year-old boy completely disenfranchised by society. What would you be interested in?"

Yang thought hard for a moment, before coming to the obvious conclusion. "Harassing women."

"Yes, but what else?" Blake said eagerly.

"Taking drugs. Showing off big weapons. Knives and brass knuckles and stuff."

"Well, they probably don't have much access to drugs out here, and I don't see any strip clubs, so where would they hang out?"

"Probably at the only place they could get weapons," Yang said understandingly.

"Exactly. Just like those guys over there." Blake nodded and pointed off into the distance. As if on cue, Yang saw them strutting towards the blacksmith from the opposite direction. The name "Droog" seemed wholly appropriate, and even if she had never heard the term before, she would have thought that would be what they were called. Their movements were jaunty and lanky like they were almost dancing, and they joshed and tussled with each other as they approached the stand. There were three in total, each dressed near identically in white button-down shirts and black bowties, and there was a certain pompous style in the way they spoke that Yang could pick up even from so far away. They had to be barely older than her; stooges to a higher order that mandated a specific standard of quality and monstrousness from them before they could be rewarded with whatever bizarre perks were promised to them. The stylish Droogs didn't notice them from afar as they approached the blacksmith and immediately began to strike up a pleasant afternoon conversation. They were almost exposed in the clearing, and Blake quickly pulled Yang back further, just to be safe.

"So, those are the guys responsible?" Yang asked, observing the thugs carefully.

"Maybe. Who knows how many others are hanging out in this town?" Blake noted. "But they're definitely part of it. That's for sure."

"Okay then, what's the plan?" Yang asked. "How do you want to take them?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do we rush them now, or wait until they're alone, or…" Yang suggested, but Blake only looked at her as if she was speaking in gibberish.

"We're not attacking them," Blake clarified.

"What? I thought that was the whole point?" Yang asked, surprised. "We were going to beat them up and then interrogate them."

"No, we're going to follow them back to their hideout," Blake said with authority. "We can't risk getting into a public brawl, not against a group we don't know enough about in a town that hates us."

"So, you mean we're just going to stay back here and watch them," Yang said, feeling the energy drain from her body.

"Exactly. We stay silent and stay in the shadows. They have to go back home eventually, and that's when we sneak into their base and start searching," Blake explained like it was second nature. "If they really stole the book, and we play our cards right, we might be able to retrieve the book before the break of dawn."

"Dawn?" Yang asked with wide, terrified eyes. "You mean, like, tomorrow dawn?"

"That's what dawn means," Blake said blankly. Yang pursed her lips and turned her attention back to the Droogs, who were still chatting away with an increasingly uncomfortable looking blacksmith. Blake continued to talk about their plans and the importance of stealth, and some other noble nonsense that she was no longer thinking about when Yang suddenly spoke over her.

"Yeah, fuck that noise," she said sternly, and without hesitation, she began to unbutton her jacket.

"Uh… what are you doing?" Blake asked nervously as Yang finished loosening her jacket, revealing the rest of a thoroughly toned midsection that wasn't covered by what had to be the smallest crop top in all of Remnant.

"I'm skipping the boring bits," Yang stated, shaking her head and letting her long, bouncy hair land in a beautiful mess cascading down her shoulders. Spending twenty-four hours following someone around town only to possibly end up with a clue didn't sound like a very meaningful afternoon, so she was going to speed up the process. She grabbed onto the rim of her shorts and very so slightly shimmied them down, just far enough to expose the silky fabric underneath, and it was only at that exact moment did Blake's heart sink.

"Oh my God, you aren't…" she said in disbelief.

"What? You said it yourself," Yang reminded her with a smirk. "There's nothing a Droog loves more than harassing women, and I don't see any other women around, so…"

"Yang, there's no way in hell you are going to seduce them," Blake pleaded, a forceful red rushing into her cheeks at the sheer audacity of her teammate. The color only made Yang's smile grow wider, and she cocked her hips as she leaned in towards Blake.

"Why not? Seems to be working on you," she teased.

"That…" Blake stuttered, "That is not in any way, shape, or form—"

"Besides, I've seduced _tons_ of men accidentally," Yang stated, brushing away her friend, loosening her scarf and keeping it barely hanging on her neck to expose as much of her cleavage as possible. "Imagine what will happen if I actually put some effort into it?"

"This is the worst idea you've ever had," Blake said with the utmost certainty.

"Hey, if you want to make it more convincing, you can always join," Yang stated, causing Blake to reflexively cover her chest with her arms.

"No! What is wrong with you?" she sputtered, but Yang only laughed further.

"Blake, I'm going to be honest," she said joyfully. "You are _adorable_ when you're flustered."

"I'm not—"

"Anyway, wish me luck," Yang said hurriedly, before rushing off towards the blacksmith. Blake desperately reached out to stop her, but she was already out of arm's reach, and the last thing Blake needed was to draw any attention to herself chasing the half-naked girl through the marketplace. She resigned herself to fate, watching stupid Yang with her stupid plan jog up to stupid people and strike up a conversation as they ogled her all over. They were too far out of earshot for Blake to tell if it was working, and she had no personal experience to tell her if the plan was going smoothly. In her personal opinion, Yang had probably made herself a bit too obvious. She had gone too far turning herself into a big sexy mess to be believable as a bystander. Yang could have stayed like the regular big sexy mess she already was. That would have been an acceptable level of sexiness that wouldn't go so overboard as to get Blake flustered. Not that she was flustered. Because she wasn't. Definitely not. She was Blake, and Blake didn't get flustered. That wasn't what she did. Nope. Not at all.

Other people might have been. Flustered, of course. Who wouldn't be? It was a natural response not indicative of any other thoughts or feelings. It was simply what happened when a reasonably sexy person like Yang started undressing in front of them out of the blue. It was totally natural. Totally, totally natural, and if she did get flustered, then it would be fine, but she didn't, so it didn't matter. Did. Not. Matter. Did not matter. Why would she get flustered anyway? Like Yang's flaunting her sexiness in front of her was something new. Of course not. They lived together. They got dressed together, and there were certainly no strange feelings at any of those points. Absolutely none. What quiet enjoyment from seeing her attractive friend taking her clothes off? Who said that?

Blake shook her head suddenly, knocking her unhealthy thoughts out of her head. She needed to focus on the important things. Yang was speaking to Droogs, which was very problematic. They were a vicious bunch she was completely unprepared for. At any moment, if she said the wrong thing, they would have sprung on her, and though she could defend herself well, the Droogs had such a wickedness and cruelty about them that even trained Huntresses like herself could get in trouble if they got surrounded. Not to mention, there were all the other unthinkable ways they could force themselves upon her if they thought she was offering herself to them, and the thought of watching her teammate getting causally sexually assaulted in the middle of the marketplace made her stomach churn. And, of course, on top of all of those concerns, there was no guarantee that the Droogs would even fall for any of it, and the odds of them leading Yang back to their hideout so easily seemed impossible, and then Blake looked up from the ground just in time to notice the Droogs casually walking away from the blacksmith with Yang by their side, and the blonde flipped her a secret thumbs up as she grinned with all the confidence in the world.

"Huh…" Blake said, staring wide-eyed into the distance, completely, assuredly, undoubtedly flustered. "What a woman..."


	29. Droogs!

**Note: Hey. Chapter. Here. Enjoy.**

* * *

Yang had done her job well. Boys would be boys, and something both she and Blake were aware of was that boys could be manipulated. It took hardly more than a few suggestive gestures to convince the three Droogs to lead her back to their hideout in the center of town, and Blake followed them from close behind, watching Yang lure them like moths to a flame. Within twenty minutes they arrived at their shanty home, neglected in a manner not like Zelina's own home, but rather more purposefully tarnished and disrespected, its hide displaying missing chunks and bullet holes. The Droogs chivalrously opened the door for her, and Yang giggled in response, entering the home gingerly, but not before tentatively brushing her fingers across one of the Droog's chest. The gangster eyed each other with devious enthusiasm as she entered their domain, and followed in quickly after her, shutting the door behind them. With the coast clear, Blake closed the distance, dashing up to the front porch and placing an ear to the door, straining to listen to the conversation within.

"Wow… what a sweet hangout," Yang said with exaggerated interest.

"I'd wager this is the coolest shag in the entire town," Blake heard one of the Droogs utter. Their slang was so off that she could even detect the grease in his voice, and she had no idea how she would have stayed composed if she was in Yang's shoes. Yet, by the sound of her tone, the blonde did not seem to mind.

"Maybe," she said leadingly. "Depends on what cool stuff you got here. Because right now, I'm not seeing much except this old couch and a need to buy a new lightbulb."

"Oh, don't you worry, babe," said another. "We've got all sorts of gizmos lying about. Got stuff collected from people all over the streets."

"Really? Where is it?" Yang asked excitedly.

"Got a stash of it kept upstairs," said the third. "Tight under lock and key. Wouldn't want anyone stealing it."

"Ooh, mysterious. I like that," Yang said, her voice low and sultry. "Do you boys think you can show me some of your toys? I'd be _really_ interested."

"Sure thing, love. Just take a seat there and get comfy and I can bring something down that'll make you wild."

"Why wait here? You got your stuff upstairs, and this couch doesn't look like it'll hold the four of us," Yang added suggestively.

"Oh, well, I mean—"

"What are you on about, moron?" one of the other Droogs interjected. "We can't let strangers up there. You know Jayah and the boys would get stifed by that."

"Come on, Jayah doesn't have to know," Yang stated. Blake assumed he had to be another one of them; where he was off to was a completely different story. She listened further. "Or hell, if you want, he can feel free to join us. If he's half as charming as you boys, I'm sure we'd get along well."

There was a brief lull in the conversation, almost as if they were actively considering her offer, before Blake heard one of them state more objectively, "Sorry. You can't go in there. Too many weapons and dangerous things. We'd hate for you to cut yourself."

Yang sighed, before noticeably raising her voice. "Fine. I guess I won't go _upstairs_ to the room with the _weapons_. That's where we _won't_ be hanging out."

Blake lightly smacked her head against the door. Yang Xiao Long: powerful Huntress. Attractive woman. Terrible Actress.

At least she had an opening. Scaling the hangout's walls was so effortless she could do it in her sleep. It took her only a moment further to climb around the back of the building and find the window gazing into the Droogs' treasure room. She smirked upon seeing it. Of course, those idiots would go through the effort of locking up their things only to forget to remove the easiest way inside. She was able to pry open the window in a matter of seconds, and slipped inside, landing as softly as she could on the wooden floor and gazing around cautiously.

The treasure room was only so in the most immature sense. Blake would hardly call any of the scattered trash something valuable, and she thought that even Zelina's home, a dilapidated as it was, still was kept in better condition than what she was seeing. There was so much garbage that it was hard to sort anything in the dim sunlight that barely broke through the window behind her. She felt like she was trapped in a closet, surrounded by filthy swords and knives and food and what seemed to be a round, hopefully unused sex toy. She stepped carefully around the mess, maneuvering to the door and unlocking it from within, before cracking it open and listening to make sure the boys were still distracted.

"Oh, no," she heard Yang moan. "I can't believe I spilled that water _all over myself_."

Yep. Distracted.

Without wait, Blake went to work searching. The room was cluttered enough to make any thorough search a challenge, so she had to work smarter, not harder. She scanned only the top of the piles of trash, the fronts of the shelves, assuming that the Droogs wouldn't bother to safely stash away their stolen goods. She quietly traced over the entire room, her footsteps barely making a sound as she combed it over for any sign of Zelina's lost item.

The poor woman. Blake had seen Faunus like her before all too often. They were always in the same rundown places, with the same sad story one after the other, and unfortunately, the same mutilations as well. She had hardly ever seen a Faunus that was not missing an ear, or a claw, or an eye; a piece carved away from them like Dust from the Earth, leaving the body and the mind forever damaged. There must have been something evil deep inside that compelled them to cruelty, something intrinsic about the Human desire to cut, to strip away that which they understood to be unnatural. At many times, she considered it their truest nature. Humans had waged pointless wars against each other for so long that the oldest parts of their vicious past had been lost to time. Their hearts were like the room in which she stood: cluttered, disregarded, filled to the brim with the promises of violence and sex which buried and destroyed the only valuable knowledge within. After all, she was thinking about a species whose technology exceeded their morality, and immediately used that technology to figure out how to put a gun inside of a sword. Like children. Like the room.

A room which didn't have Zelina's book in it, or any book for that matter. Blake was rapidly becoming convinced of that fact. She searched everywhere she could, but the treasure remained out of sight. She was hesitant to start digging at risk of alerting the others downstairs, but she was growing frustrated. Did they store it somewhere else? That didn't make sense to her simply because of how simpleminded they were. Idiots need not require complex thought, and so she knew it had to be in that room somewhere. Maybe under a shelf? On the floor? Hell, in the bathroom? Somewhere, somewhere, somewhere.

Unless, of course, they didn't have the book at all, and it was just as that thought entered her mind that she heard footsteps rapidly approaching from outside.

"Hey, mate, did you leave the door unlocked?"

"I could've sworn I locked it."

"You swore that last time, too."

The Droogs entered the room arguing with each other, and they quickly went to work sorting through their possessions, the thoughts of the teenage beauty downstairs so prominent on their minds that they failed to notice that the window remained slightly ajar, through which their words could be heard by the Huntress hanging from the outside walls.

"Oh yeah, this is what we're talking about," one said with delight, picking up the largest sword he could find and wielding it close to his crotch. "She'll find the delight in this."

"You thin she'll hang on the ultraviolence?" asked the other.

"She seems like a right freak," noted the other, "enough to attract your daft head."

"Man, Jayah doesn't know what he's missing out on," the other chuckled. "And I thought we were the unlucky ones today."

"Spot on. Taking down Huntresses has nothing on this."

Blake's heart skipped a beat. Her attention ensnared, she pressed tightly against the wall, hoping she could remain undetected.

"They've got to be done with that by now," the first assumed, but the latter shook his head.

"We aint calling them over. Jayah busted that battle over my eye, and he aint getting frisky today if I can help it."

"Well, that dumbass has got himself two girls he can fuck around with if he wants," the other stated. "At least, that's what the boss says. Man, two Huntresses in Brooksbarrow, and so soon after. Do you think they—"

"No shit they know. Clear your head," the latter instructed. "Don't worry about that. If Jayah is on it, those bitches will be dead within the hour. And then you can get yourself off in peace."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, mate," the former said as he turned to leave the room. Blake's body tensed up, but she tried to stay rational, stay focused, just like she trained. There was no time for panic. Ruby and Weiss were in danger. She had to warn them before it was too—

 _Bzzzzzzzzzz_

A Scroll came to life in her pocket, and suddenly, her heart became still. Blake scrambled to silence the device, but though her nimble fingers could deactivate it within seconds, it wasn't enough. She had sworn she had turned her Scroll off before coming there as she did in the past. How was she so stupid? But then, she remembered. It wasn't her Scroll. When Yang was stripping down, she remembered a quick moment here her teammate handed her own Scroll in the event that it would get taken from her by the gang members. The idiot had never bothered to silence it, and Blake cursed ferociously under her breath at her teammate's utter stupidity just as one of the Droogs opened up the window, and curiously poked his head outside. He first looked in the opposite direction, and then, slowly, he turned to look at her, and hanging from the wall at eye-level.

"Hey, is someone th—"

The words could hardly escape before Blake kicked him sharply in the head, and then with a simple, fluid swing, grabbed onto the open window and slammed it down hard, crushing his throat. The other Droog was so stunned that he could barely react as Blake reopened the window and dove headfirst inside, rolling upon hitting the ground and unsheathing her blade as she rose. The Droog took a rough swing, but he was a young kid in over his head. Raised on the streets, likely no mother, desperate for someone to notice him and give him love. She almost had enough sympathy to spare him.

She didn't. She couldn't. The pierced her sword through his shoulder, pinning him to the wall behind before knocking him out with the thickest part of her sheath. She withdrew her sword and watched him collapse to the ground with a loud bang, falling into the pile of trash lining the room. From beneath, Yang had been reclining on the couch across from the last Droog, listening with false intent as he prattled on excitedly about his wickedness.

"Ooh, that sounds so _exciting_ ," she cooed.

"You think so?"

"You have no idea," she said, running a hand down her chest and licking her lips. "You're such a dirty, naughty, _filthy_ little boy—" A crash rang out from above, and looked up at the ceiling with relief. "Oh, thank God, I don't have to talk like this anymore." She jumped up from the couch and cocked her fist, and with a single defiant punch, the last Droog went sailing across the room, the couch getting launched as well and landing on top of him. Yang cracked her knuckles as Blake hurried down the stairs, and she waved pleasantly as she started to button up her jacket.

"So, did you find the book?" Yang asked expectantly.

"Not here," Blake stated.

"Damn. So, I did all that for nothing?" Yang said dejectedly.

"Pretty much."

"Well… did you at least enjoy it?" Yang asked with a smirk.

"Shut up," Blake said defensively. "We don't have time for this. Your sister is in danger."

* * *

In their motel room, Weiss was practically catatonic. Her eyes were transfixed to the ceiling as Ruby paced back and forth in front of her bed, her feet narrowly dodging their cluttered bags as she tried to map out their plans ahead of them.

"Yulia said something about Zelina's past," Ruby speculated. "Do you think maybe Zelina is hiding something from us?"

"You already know what I think," Weiss said distantly.

"So, that's a yes, then?" Ruby stated. Weiss did not respond. Her hands were calmly resting on her lap, her weapon by her bedside. She was almost too still to be alive, and Ruby stopped dead in her tracks to study her. "Hey… are you feeling okay?"

"Of course," Weiss said simply.

"Are you sure?" asked Ruby. "I mean, you haven't really said anything since we came back. And you were also really quiet with Yulia."

"I already told you, I'm fine. I just don't have a lot to say," Weiss insisted. Ruby hesitated at her bedside, but eventually, her instincts took hold, and she carefully took a seat by Weiss's feet, trying to find comfort on the hard mattress.

"Hey, listen," Ruby said quietly. "I know that things between us are kind of… really _weird_ right now. I get that we aren't exactly friends or anything like that, but we are supposed to be teammates. And that means, you know, you can talk to me if you're dealing with anything."

"No offense, Ruby, but you aren't someone I'd consider very experienced in dealing with these things," Weiss said bluntly.

"I know," Ruby said sheepishly, "but sometimes, it helps to just get it out in the open. Keeping those feelings locked up can be really bad for you."

"You wouldn't have gotten along with my mother." Weiss rolled her eyes. Naturally, no one would have been able to get along with her mother. The woman had put up enough barriers over the years to make sure of that. But then again, Weiss realized that she never thought she would have gotten along with Ruby either. Their "leader" was a strange case in that regard, so naïve and innocent that it was almost impossible to maintain a consistent level of hatred towards her, even if she so tried. It helped that she was so damn effective at strategizing and initiating combat, and that was where half the respect lied. Her father always said…

Well, her father always said lots of things. That was the problem.

"Ruby, can I ask you something?" Weiss said contemplatively. "Do you remember that night after we beat Team CRDL? When we had that talk in the hall, and you told me that you didn't think I was a bad person? Do you remember that?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Can you tell me… did you actually mean that?" Weiss asked carefully. "Or was it just something you said to make me feel better?"

Ruby was taken aback. "Is that what you're thinking about?"

"Just answer the question, Ruby."

"Well, to be honest," Ruby said slowly, "I don't know if I _believe_ there's such a thing as a bad person. I think there are people who are hurt, or scared or had some bad things happen to them, but I don't know if there really is anyone out there who's just _bad_. I mean, I think you can be pretty harsh sometimes, but I don't know if that makes you actually bad on the inside. I don't think you truly want to hurt anyone."

"How would you know?" Weiss questioned. "I seem rather good at it. When we first met, I was rather good at hurting you, wasn't I?"

"Yes, but," Ruby continued, "the fact that you're even asking this question means that you know what you did was wrong. And, if you know what you did was wrong, that must mean that there's some part of you that's trying to do the right thing. If you were really a bad person, I don't think you'd be able to do that."

"Really? Zelina thinks I'm a bad person," Weiss stated.

"What? She never said—"

"She didn't have to. How could she not?" Weiss asked bitterly. "Did you see the way she shouted at me? That anger? If she knew my real name, that I was really a Schnee, she would have tried to rip my heart out right then and there. And she'd probably be right to do it. Maybe she'd be right even if she didn't know."

"Weiss, don't say things like that."

"Why not? You saw how I acted towards her. I turned against her because I was so caught up in assuming the worst about her. This woman had been rejected by everyone she ever knew and called on us for help, and all I did was push and doubt her until she broke down in tears… just like I broke down you the first day we met." Weiss became silent, and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I made an old, desperate woman cry today. That sounds like a bad person to me, Ruby."

Ruby was stunned into silence. The heiress's face was emotionless, but all of the pain in the world came through in her voice. It would have been easy to repeat herself and give a cheesy speech about the values of redemption and compassion, capped off with a promise that she could make it up to Zelina by the end of the week. Something told her, however, that the message would be lost. Self-loathing was a powerful temptress, and she had seen with her own eyes how easy it was to fall into its trap. She would have to develop an exercise for Weiss when they returned to Beacon. Whenever they were finished with their mission, that was.

When the knock on the door came, Ruby didn't think twice about answering it. It was likely her solemn thoughts about her teammate that lowered her guard, and so when she opened the door and inevitably came face-to-face with three men in white button-down shirts and bowties grinning maniacally at her, it took her a moment to realize the circumstances she found herself in. Fortunately, she was able to determine just how absolutely imperiled she was when the man at the front—a crude, ornery sort by the name of Jayah—of the pack silently pulled a knife out from behind his back, and lunged at her.

Her reflexes took over. She backstepped away from the knife, and it took another moment and a half before the terror of the situation hit her fully and she yelled at Weiss in a panic. The heiress, still relaxing on the bed, sat up as the other two Droogs rushed her, diving over the bed to grab at her. She shrieked and leaped to the other bed, grabbing her sword in midflight and standing atop the mattress in a pathetic attempt to gain the high ground. They landed dazed on the mattress, and for a second, she could catch her breath. Ruby dodged another swipe of Jayah's, and her mind began to analyze everything it could in as fast a time possible. Her options: slim. The terrain: slimmer. Two steps back, and she was already in line with the television, and another step back would put her in line with Weiss. Crescent Rose: not possible. The case: on the other side of the room. Too distant. Even if she could, the room was too small. Crescent Rose needed space to breathe. Hand-to-hand: only chance. Her hand-to-hand skills: limited. Scratch that: very limited.

Jayah pulled back his arm for a third strike, but before he could manage a glyph materialized in front of him, and repelled him back out of the motel room.

"Ruby, do something!" Weiss pleaded as the other Droogs regained their footing and pulled out blades of their own. One of them had been caught between the narrow gap in the beds, and he quickly turned his attention to Ruby. She yelped as he charged at her, only a few steps away when she suddenly gained an idea. She sidestepped his opening attack, and with the flash of her Semblance, traveled behind him. While he was still in motion, she grabbed onto the back of his head, and with his own momentum, she threw him forward into the television, cracking his head against the glass. He collapsed in a puff, and Ruby turned to help her ally only to realize she was doing quite well for herself. Weiss expertly repelled his opening thrust with her sword, and wasted little time in summoning another glyph to launch him against the wall, his hips colliding directly with the nightstand and the lamp atop on his way. Another glyph was waiting for him as he landed, forcing him against the floor with little remorse for whatever bones got broken along the way. With the two lackeys dispatched, Ruby turned her attention to the doorway, where a defenseless Jayah had finally started to recover. With a determined growl, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing the results of a hard month's dedicated work at the gym, and she bolted towards him. With a victorious cry, she struck his jaw with the hardest uppercut she could throw, and just like that, the Droogs were downed one after the other. Ruby clenched her fist in victory, glancing back to Weiss to give a nod of approval.

"That was close," Ruby stated. "Thanks for the save back there. I don't what I would have… _owwwwwwww._ "

The adrenaline was short-lived, and Ruby suddenly remembered something Yang told her about not directly punching people in the jaw as the most horrifying, throbbing pain suddenly reached her hand.

"What the hell was that all about?" Weiss cried.

"I think these guys are Droogs," Ruby winced. "I mean, who else would they be? Ow ow ow ow ow…"

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, just… think I might have chipped something," Ruby said, choking back tears.

"You should go call Yang," Weiss suggested. "I'll see what I can get out them."

Ruby nodded, frantically grabbing her Scroll from her belongings and hurrying to the bathroom to find some quiet. Weiss carefully stepped down from her perch and stepped over to Jayah, who was barely regaining himself as she pressed the tip of her sword to the back of his neck.

"Move, and you'll end up with something a lot worse than a headache," she threatened. "Now tell me: Why did you try to kill us?"

"Boss s-sent us to do it," Jayah said frighteningly quick. "We were afraid you'd figure out what was up."

"Zelina Zaripova. Does that name mean anything to you?"

"Of course."

"Did you break into her house and steal a book from her?"

"Yes!" Jayah said hurriedly. Weiss sneered. No honor amongst thieves. She didn't know what she was expecting.

"Why did you do it?" she demanded. "That book was completely worthless to you. What use could you have in taking it?"

"Just the knowledge she didn't have it," admitted the Droog. "We only did it for revenge."

Weiss raised her brow. "Revenge? For what?"

"Easy. That animal," stated Jayah, quivering on the ground, "she's a damn White Fang member."


	30. Confession - Part 1

**Note: Hey, we're back! With our workload finally lightened, we can finally return to a more frequent upload schedule. We hope everyone is having a happy holidays, and considering that we are coming up on the one-year anniversary of _Let Us Be Your Poison_ being started, we have a lot things we want to say. First off, thank you every single person who has followed this story over the past year. It's been a blast writing and we have plenty more to come. Thanks to you guys, this has become our most followed, favorited, and reviewed story ever, so that's pretty damn neat! Here's to hopefully many more.**

 **We also wanted to say that we are just about wrapping up the "Brooksbarrow Arc" as we're calling it, and its been fun trying to base things off of our own original concepts instead of just ripping things from the show. We didn't want to keep anyone waiting any longer, so this chapter just dives headfirst into things. In fact, it might dive a little too head first, so you may want to reread the previous chapter to experience the pacing better. This is the third of a planned seven total arcs, so we're getting sort of close to the halfway point. The arc after this is going to be a lot more pairing heavy and also feature some more well-known characters, so get ready for all of that fun nonsense. We're really looking forward to it.**

 **Also, last thing: this chapter goes to some rough places, so if you are sensitive to those things, be warned. Enjoy.**

* * *

The White Fang. Ruby was lucky to only experience them through the stories she heard from panicked voices on the television, yet those who could not afford even that luxury had still likely been aware of them. They were in theory Faunus rights activists, searching out injustice wherever they saw it and fighting for the freedom and equality of all Faunus who had lived in terror under the boot of the world. Their methods, however, made them anything but respectable, and Ruby could recall everyone from her classmates to her own father cursing out their actions anytime their name appeared on the news, usually followed by the names and number of their victims. Terrorists. Freedom fighters. Liberators. Monsters. They were called almost everything in the book, and Ruby was almost ashamed to admit to herself that she was not nearly educated enough on the issue to have a qualified opinion of them. She supposed they were bad enough if they were resorted to killing innocents, but her contempt for the murderers did not come close to matching the blind, seething rage emitting from Weiss as she stormed through the woods towards the dilapidated house of Zelina Zaripova.

"Weiss, please don't do anything rash," Ruby pleaded. As though the heiress would actually be interested in listening to her.

"She lied to us, Ruby," Weiss sneered, the normal elegance of her step drowned by her rage.

"We don't know that for certain," Blake said calmly. She and Yang had only just been brought up to speed since their encounter with the Droogs, and they hadn't even begun to describe the salacious details of their mission before having to chase down Weiss before she did anything predictably stupid. "Lots of Humans accuse Faunus of being White Fang all the time. It's practically a slang word for anyone they disagree with on these issues. I don't think she actively goes around killing people."

"She doesn't have to," Weiss claimed. "She could be a sympathizer, or she could help fund them, or _anything_. It doesn't matter."

"I think it kind of matters," Yang interjected. "I mean, why do you care so much anyway?"

"Why don't you care more?" Weiss snapped back, her pace never slowing. "Why would you tolerate any of those racist psychopaths?"

"I'm not saying I do," Yang said quickly. "I'm just saying that you're really… _passionate_ about this."

"If you knew anything about my family's history, you'd understand," Weiss said authoritatively. With the sun starting to dip below the tree line, Weiss saw the broken house in the distance and quickened her pace. She had known something was wrong the second Zelina lied to them about the money, but she was too stupid not to act on it. She wasn't prepared to make the same mistake again. This time, she would get to the bottom of everything. No more excuses. However, as she stepped into the clearing, a red mass zoomed past her, and Ruby suddenly stood blocking her path, her arms outstretched.

"Weiss, let's stop and think about this," she begged. She had noticed since the motel that Weiss had never released her death grip on Myrtenaster, and every horrible scenario she could think of raced through her mind. She didn't want to think of Weiss as a killer, but they were Huntresses after all, and though she did not like to think of it very often, and though it was never their ultimate goal or priority, she was well aware of the fact that taking a life was not something foreign in their line of work. Weiss was unimpressed, shoving her way past her leader as she stormed up the porch and pounded her fist against the door.

No answer. She pounded even harder, continuously slamming her fist against the wood to the point of nearly cracking it until eventually, after what felt like an eternity, a dreary-eyed Zelina came stumbling to the entrance. Ruby, from a distance, could only assume she had just woken up considering her haphazard state of dress and the dull way in which she rubbed her eyes with her palm. Blake had said that many Faunus slept during the day and that only compounded the guilt that was building inside her, knowing how unprepared Zelina was for the storm that was on her doorstep.

"Girls? Is that you?" she asked drowsily. "What are you doing back here so soon?"

"We need to talk," Weiss said, forcing her way through the front door. Zelina was taken aback by the forcefulness but did not resist as Weiss stood tall in the middle of the poor excuse for a living room, looking around skeptically at its weary features. Zelina casually ushered the others inside before nervously asking questions.

"Is this about my book?" Zelina asked, confused. "Did you find any leads?"

"Do you want to spit it out or do you want me to say it?" Weiss growled. Zelina rubbed her eyes again, still too tired to follow along.

"I… I don't understand," Zelina said hesitantly as the other girls hurried inside, the Faunus closing the door behind them.

"Miss Zaripova, we're sorry," Ruby said earnestly, gently clasping Zelina's hands, much to the older woman's concern. It wasn't made any easier by the worried look in the young girl's eye, and the way her colleagues began to circle the white-haired girl like vultures.

"Weiss, seriously, back off," Blake ordered, but the heiress stood her ground.

"No, we are doing this," she insisted, pointing the tip of her blade at Zelina. "You didn't tell us everything, did you, _Zelina_?"

The word was thick with malice. Hearing her name said with such venom snapped Zelina out from her daze, and she eyed the heiress strangely like a worry had crept up from the back of her mind that she couldn't shake free of.

"What?" she muttered.

"Look, we ran into some of the Droogs earlier," Yang jumped in to explain. "Some things happened that we won't mention, but we think that they were the ones who stole your book. Unfortunately, we couldn't find it there, but—"

" _But_ ," Weiss hissed, cutting off the shadow before she could change topics again, "they were more than willing to tell us why they stole the book from you. Would you care to take a guess?"

More questions. Not questions: accusations. Zelina left eye began to twitch, and she instinctively started playing with the mats of fur on the back of her hand. Her gaze drifted to the floor, and her mind seemed to vanish from the room. For Ruby, it was difficult to watch, and she quickly forced her way in between the pair, grabbing the tip of Weiss's sword and trying to force it down.

"Weiss, seriously, cut it out," Ruby demanded. The heiress merely glared past her, eyeing down the Faunus that was now starting to grow more and more anxious inside her own home.

"Stop defending her, Ruby," Weiss sneered. "She didn't tell us about the money. She didn't tell us about the White Fang, or about her daughter. Why the hell should we believe her about anything? She is using us, and we don't have to stand for it."

That word: daughter. Zelina picked it up from within the sentence like a siren's call. That was not a word that should have been said. Immediately, her demeanor changed, and as the overwhelming subtext of Weiss's accusations was suddenly made clear, something snapped.

"Don't…" Zelina stammered her voice tremoring, a new sensation starting to overpower her fear. "Don't you dare talk about my daughter…"

Weiss cocked her head. "Oh? Why not? Sensitive topic?" Her tone was mocking, overconfident, almost even cheerful.

Cheerful. About her daughter. Zelina gritted her teeth. "You shut your mouth right now."

"What? Don't tell me she was White Fang too?" Weiss said defiantly. "I guess the evil just happens to run in the family."

Evil.

Evil. Evil. Evil.

 _Her_ daughter: evil.

That was the last straw. The name of her daughter taken in vain lit a fire within the Faunus, and within a moment, Ruby could see the anger permeating through her eyes, her posture, the deep growls vibrating in the back of her throat. She could see the disaster in front of her, and so she acted with haste. Before Zelina could lunge across the room, Ruby shoved Weiss's weapon further, and moved in closer, desperately blocking her view of Zelina. "Weiss, _please_. Stop this."

"Why?" Weiss challenged.

"Because," Ruby stated forcefully, looking the Atlasian deep in the eye, "I don't want anyone getting hurt, and right now, you are acting like a _very_ bad person."

A bad person. Of all the threats and insults that could have come her way, it was those words that caused the anger to drain from Weiss's face and caused her to loosen the grip on her sword. In the moment after, without the hatred binding her, she saw Zelina, sad and tired, fists clenched and eyes barely holding back tears of rage and loss. She felt the eyes of Blake and Yang staring through her, judging her, tense and ready to attack her if she lost her way, and she saw Ruby Rose, that stupid little girl who bumped into her in the hallway on the first day of school, who insulted her lineage, who maintained her irritatingly busy schedule and constantly served as a restrictive reminder of authority, who always under every circumstance managed to annoy and frustrate and drive her insane, stare at her with that same judging glare and those same judging silver eyes. And, for some strange reason, that hurt.

Weiss did not object as Ruby forced her to surrender. An apology started to form on her tongue, but she did not fully accept its presence. The questions in her mind still burned and blocked her better instincts, and the guilt only compounded as Ruby released her grasp on Myrtenaster and turned to calm down Zelina. The Faunus, however, was having none of it.

"How… how dare you," Zelina growled, her words garbled through her misshapen teeth. "What gives you the right to threaten me in my own home?"

"Miss Zaripova, we're sorry," Ruby said hastily, trying to find the words to make things right, even as the task grew ever more unlikely. "She didn't mean it. She's just on edge—"

" _She's_ on edge?" Zelina gasped. "What the hell does _she_ have to be on edge for? With her clothes, her sword, all the money she probably has stored away? This pretty little riller who never had to work a day in her life for what she's been given?"

"Zelina—" Weiss started, but she was silenced quickly.

"Shut your mouth!" Zelina screamed. "What have you ever suffered, girl? What have _any_ of you sacrificed to ever judge me? Your families paid thousands for you to go to Huntsmen schools, so you could learn how to do the Kingdom's dirty work, the same Kingdom that does everything in its power to hurt my people. You rillers act so much like you care about us, but you will never understand what it's like to _be_ us. You'll never know what it's like to have the whole world hate you just for existing."

"Hey, we've all suffered," Weiss said in protest. Zelina stomped forward, her claws sharp and thirsting, and the other girls had to jump in the way and help shield Weiss from the fury that was brought upon her. Zelina's voice descended further, until what was one soft and welcoming was so guttural that it barely sounded human, and Weiss became frozen, stunned and fearful of the inhuman monster that was taking shape before her very eyes.

"Suffered how?" she demanded. "Have you ever had to watch your house and everything you've held as precious to you get burned to the ground?"

"Zelina, back off," Blake ordered, reaching back for her weapon.

"Or," Zelina shouted, "have you ever had to listen to the people you considered your friends and neighbors talk about which part of you they were going to slice off, and then argue about who had the luxury of doing it?"

Weiss stuttered, her eyes wide. "I… I didn't—"

"Or have you ever had to helplessly watch your daughter," Zelina said, choking on her anger, "your one, only child get dragged into the streets and tortured, and raped, and killed right in front of you because she _dared_ to fight back against the riller scum who cornered her and made her life a living hell?"

Zelina closed her tearful eyes, and forcefully dug her claws into her air, pulling and screaming as the girls witnessed her lose control of herself. "So, no. You _haven't_ suffered. Any of you! Not like my Zara, or my mother, or her mother before her, or me. Do you want to know the real meaning of evil, girl? For all of the pain she went through in her final moments, for all the damage they did to us, despite how they were so willing to admit there wrongdoing, do you know what happened to the monsters that hurt my child? _Nothing_. The Kingdom didn't prosecute them, the police didn't investigate them, not a single damn Huntsman ever came to defend me. _That_ is the true evil in this world. The worst monsters aren't the bastards who killed her; it's people like you who stand aside and let the evil happen, all the while daring to look down on us for what we have to do to survive. Fuck your pathetic excuses for suffering, fuck your moral grandstanding about wanting to help me, and fuck everything you stand for. The White Fang may be killers, but at least when I asked them to give me justice, they _delivered_."

The earth stood still. The worst of the Faunus's anger had been released, and the rest was pouring out of her in short gasps for air as she struggled to regain whatever Humanity was left inside her. Weiss stared straight ahead, her face mostly blank as she struggled to process her emotions. It was the same for the rest who guarded her, staring at the broken, mutilated creature tearing at her own skull in front of them, lost in so many things. Or at least, it was what the Schnee would have liked to believe. Everything seemed blurry. Her morality was lost to her in the moment, and she wasn't sure whether to latch onto the anger against the White Fang or the sympathy for Zelina's plight or the fear for her life, and so she chose to feel nothing, and she hated herself for that. She was supposed to have answers of right and wrong; that was one of the only promises from the Gods that she could rely on. Instead, her life was like the house she was standing in: cluttered with meaningless distracting things and threatening to fall apart. It was the greatest reminder to her—to all of them—the sad reality that no matter what they thought they knew, they were still children, woefully unable to comprehend just how cruel the world could be.

But Ruby Rose, by some blessing that Weiss couldn't fathom, stood her ground, and while Blake reached for Gambol Shroud and Yang was ready to throw desperate punches, she tried to remain in control.

"Zelina… what did you do?" she asked calmly, as the Faunus rocked back and forth in front of her.

"I reached out to them weeks after that night," Zelina stated, barely able to breathe. "I told them what had happened, and that no one else would help me. That was the day I came to Brooksbarrow, and the day after that, after I was given shelter, I heard a report on the news. They actually did it."

"Did what?" Ruby asked, horrified. Zelina snarled.

"Burned the village to the ground."

Ruby sighed, defeated. She already suspected it, but to hear the words said so clearly, and with such little remorse blackened whatever innocence she had left within her.

"Fourteen dead. Fathers. Mothers. Children," Zelina said coldly. "Trapped in the fires or choked to death in the smoke. Slow, painful ways to go. All of their rotten lives snuffed out, and the thing was? The White Fang never charged me anything. They only asked if I wanted revenge… and I said yes."

Ruby bowed her head in shame. Zelina's tone quieted, but the hatred was still burning as bright as ever. So many dead. So little regret. Her disappointment was palpable, and Zelina took notice, scowling at her.

"So, what? Do you think I'm a monster now like everyone else?" she asked painfully. "Does that make me the bad guy here? You want to kill me now to make up for the things I've done."

Ruby had no response. She had never once considered going for her weapon the entire conversation, but did she think she was a monster? Could she even answer that question honestly anymore? How could a fifteen-year old make such a distinction? Fortunately for Ruby, she didn't have to, as Blake suddenly spoke up, gently gripping the handle of her sword just in case something went wrong.

"Look, we don't want to hurt anyone," she said honestly. "There's been enough death already. I can't speak for them, but personally, I get it. I get wanting to lash out at the people who did you wrong. It's not fair what happened to you or your daughter, and it's not fair that those who were supposed to look after you let you down, and I am sorry for all of the pain you had to go through these past few years. None of this should have happened to you."

"But…" Zelina said expectantly, flicking her claws.

"But right now, you are about three steps away from getting a bullet in your head if you don't calm the fuck down," Blake said sternly. "I don't give a shit about what you did in the past. We're here to find your book for you, and I want to get this job done so Yang will stop bitching about wasting her fall break. So, on that note, can we please just be professional and cam down before anyone does anything else stupid?"

Zelina still trembled as she considered the options before her. The four girls were standing together practically frozen by her presence. Their hands were unsteady as they held their weapons back, and it was abundantly clear from a simple look at them that they were just as afraid for her life as they were for their own. Somehow, through the blinding fog, a rational thought returned to her, and she remembered suddenly that for all of their training and history, they were just teenagers, students of a system that they had no say in running. She held onto that thought, and let it guide her through the fog until she released her grip on herself, and felt the rise and fall of her breath steady.

Those damn Huntresses: They were her daughter's age.

Zelina took a deep breath, and slowly, with nowhere else to go, returned to the old chair in the middle of the room, and collapsed into it. The girls collectively sighed and released their weapons, and Zelina averted her gaze, unable to look at them any further.

"So… what are you going to do now?" she asked mournfully.

Ruby wished she had an answer to that. Blake appeared quite openly in favor of letting the entire incident with the White Fang go. Yang didn't give much of an opinion of all; if Ruby had to hazard a guess, she would have said that things had gotten far too real for her normally carefree sister, and she probably just eagerly awaited the whole thing to be done with. Ruby turned to Weiss for her opinion, expecting the heiress to suggest taking Zelina to the authorities, or at the very least, arguing for some sort of punishment. But, despite the tension ending, Weiss was still frozen, struggling to wrap herself around the incredible confusion facing her.

"I… I think we help you find your book," Ruby explained. "And then, after that… I don't know."

Zelina only nodded softly. Uncertainty. Doubt towards tomorrow. Ruby wished she could say more, but by that point, it was pretty much all she had to rely on. The sun had finally set below the tree line, and the interior house had become fully eclipsed by the darkness as the room finally settled. Blake wandered to the entranceway, leaning against the wall and pondering out loud.

"Okay, then. So, back to our search it is," she said dejectedly.

"Except this time, we don't have any leads," Yang muttered.

"Actually, I don't think we need any," Ruby admitted. "I think I know where her book is, and who has it."

Zelina's ear perked up. "You do?" she asked, startled by the revelation.

"Yeah… I pieced it together while you were telling us everything," Ruby said sadly. She began to move towards the door, secretly glad she could finally be gone from such a negative environment. "Blake, I want you to come with me. I may need some backup."

"Sure thing," Blake said. "But where are we going?"

"We're going to have a talk with Yulia Chesterfield," Ruby stated. "I think there are a few more things she's keeping from us."


	31. Confession - Part 2

**Note: Merry Christmas. And happy one year anniversary! Let's celebrate a full year of long delays, broken hearts and bloody battles with the finale to our third story arc, "The Stolen Book." An epilogue will hopefully come before the end of the year, so stay tuned. Enjoy.**

* * *

"So, what makes you think Yulia has it?" Blake asked as the pair entered the town. With so much happening in the past twenty-four hours, It was weirdly comforting to know that the town itself had remained completely identical to the night before; quiet save for the hustle and noise coming from the blocked off sounds of the bar. The unpaved streets were no more comfortable beneath her boots, but there was a simplicity to the town that she could relish. After all, simple things seemed to be in short supply.

"It's the only logical choice I can think of," Ruby explained. "Yulia was the only person who knew where Zelina's book was located, and on top of that, she's also the only one in town who knows about Zelina's daughter and what happened to her. The Droogs knew of Zelina's White Fang connection, but the only way they would be able to know any of that if they knew about what happened to Zara, which means one of two things: either they found out entirely on their own, which seems unlikely, or Option B—"

"Yulia told them. Yeah, makes sense," Blake said with a shrug. As the pair started their approach towards the bar Blake shoved her hands into her pockets. "People don't take to kindly to finding out their friends conspired with terrorists. The only question is why she waited until now to act if this happened years ago."

"It's possible she only just found out," Ruby suggested. "Finding out that Zelina tried would only make the tension worse. Or, maybe she's just a really long-term thinker. Or… I don't know…"

Ruby sighed, brushing away loose strands of red hair from her eyes. Her other hand found its way to her cape, and she began gently messaging the soft fabric between her fingers. Blake noticed casually out of the corner of her eye but said nothing of it. They walked in step to the entrance of the bar and paused just outside. A type of loud rock was blaring from behind the doors, and the constant shouting and hollering made them hypothesize that some big event was going on behind its doors that they were not invited to. It could have made things more difficult; Yulia was mostly willing to tolerate Ruby's presence earlier that day because she had nothing better to do, and it didn't help that their next meeting would be on significantly less friendly terms. Unfortunately, they didn't have any other options. If Yulia did have the book—and that was a big if—they had to get it back, if not for Zelina's sake, then simply to end their nightmare. Blake groaned audibly, and with the desperate urge to rid herself of the day's burden, placed her hand against the door.

"Wait, Blake."

She paused. Ruby's words were soft and uncertain, and the young girl looked down at her feet when she spoke.

"What's wrong?" Blake asked inquisitively.

"Before we go in," Ruby said, shifting uncomfortably, "I was actually hoping to talk to you for a minute."

Blake's eyes quickly cast back to the door, before her fingers relaxed against the wood paneling, and she gently removed her hand from the building's exterior. Ruby went to brush more strands of hair from her eyes, and even though none were there, she still found herself adjusting her appearance, fiddling with nothing in particular.

"Is it important?" Blake asked. "Because if it isn't, I'd rather just get the book and be done with this."

"No, it is," Ruby insisted, though her tone implied anything but confidence in her assertions. "It's just that… I feel like I never get a chance to talk to you. We're always on the opposite sides of things, you know."

"Yeah. I know what you mean," Blake said distantly. They were both aware that she was the primary reason for their disconnect, but Blake had no intention of inviting any blame, and if Ruby was hellbent on being polite, she would let it slide. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I, uh, really wanted to ask you what you make of all this," Ruby said quietly.

"Make of what?"

"This. Zelina. The White Fang. All of it," Ruby specified. "I always end up processing and overanalyzing everything, and you always seem so levelheaded, I just… I really wanted to know what you think we can do after we get the book."

"Well," Blake pondered out loud, "the way I see it, we don't really have many options. We can go try to tell the local authorities about Zelina's confession if we can even find them. We don't know any more details, and I doubt she'd tell us, so the only other real thing we can do it try to alert the feds, and tell them that we have anonymous information about a terrorist attack from two years ago. I don't know how much good that would do anyone."

"I know, I know," Ruby nodded cautiously, "but… what do _you_ want to do, Blake?"

Blake crossed her arms. "You already know what I would rather do."

Ruby bowed her head in agreement. "You want to just let the whole thing go."

"It was years ago," Blake explained.

"But she did kill people," Ruby reminded her.

"Bad people," Blake said dismissively. "I mean, yeah, the woman and the children had nothing to with it, but Zelina had no idea that they would be the ones getting hurt when she contacted the White Fang. She was just trying to get justice for her daughter. It's all messy and complicated, but at the end of the day, I don't know how punishing this Faunus anymore is going to make anything better. I know Weiss would probably disagree with that because she's all about honor and responsibility and whatever, but… that's what my instincts are telling me. They haven't let me down yet."

"Oh… okay," Ruby said softly. "I guess that's it then. Let's get this over with." Ruby took a step towards the bar but was suddenly stopped when Blake reached out and placed her palm against her chest.

"Hold on. That's not what you wanted to talk about," Blake said knowingly. "You already know what I want to do about Zelina after this is over. What's really going on?"

"N-Nothing," Ruby said hurriedly. Blake narrowed her eyes, and Ruby could feel her gaze piercing through her effortlessly. "I-I mean… it's not that…" She released a shaky breath. "Okay. Yeah. That's… that's not what I wanted to ask you."

"So, what is it then?" Blake asked. Ruby baked away from Blake's palm, and she clenched her cape tightly and wrapped it around herself until the fabric was interwoven between her fingers.

"I wanted to ask you: How do you get through this?"

Blake was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"Back there with Zelina," Ruby sighed, "you were so calm, so… in control of everything. It was the same thing this morning. No matter how crazy things became, you seemed to know exactly what to say to calm everyone down. You comforted her like it was nothing. It seems like every time we are losing ourselves—in the cave with the Grimm, fighting CRDL, the tests—you never panic, or worry, or anything. You always have an answer, and even if I hate it, at least you always have _something_ to rely on."

"It's… experience," Blake explained slowly. She awkwardly shifted her arms, choosing her words carefully. "I didn't have a great childhood. Had to pick up a lot of stuff to get through hard times. Saw things I shouldn't have. After a while, when you keep seeing shitty things happen, you learn to cope. Atrocities become terrible acts, terrible acts become bad things, bad things become inconveniences. Eventually, for better or worse, you become numb to it."

Blake spoke somberly, and her mind briefly wandered to harsh memories on sandy beaches. But then, she heard something unexpected: Ruby began to chuckle. As Blake looked at her in surprise, she could quickly see the tears forming in the corner of her eyes behind her glasses.

"Yeah. That sort of makes sense," Ruby said with a sad smile. She sniffled, gently brushing away her tears with her thumb. "I almost wish I could be you right now. I'd be pretty nice not to have to worry about how this is going to turn out."

Watching the younger girl cry was startling. It was a strange time to suddenly lose control of herself, seconds away from the most important conversation of the evening. Yet, Blake was hardly determined to rush her. Instead, she reached out again to de facto team leader, placing a hand on her shoulder; not one to force her, but to provide whatever comfort she could muster.

"Hey, don't say things like that," she said reassuringly. "Trust me, no one should _ever_ wish they can be me. If everyone was as big of an asshole as I am, the world would somehow be an even worse place to live." The comment got a small laugh out of the child, and Blake continued, meeting her halfway smile with one of her own. "This is really hard. The fact that you care so much about this woman who you never met, who isn't ever going to return the favor or see you again, and the fact that you've remained this focused and determined, and have made this progress, is actually really impressive. For someone your age, you are holding together better than anyone should be able to."

"Thanks. I appreciate that," Ruby said sincerely. "It's just… it's a lot to take in, you know? I always thought my life was pretty bad, what with my mom dying, and all of the problems with Yang and my dad and my anxieties. But, after seeing all this, you don't realize just how sheltered all of your experiences are. I mean, Zelina had to suffer through _so much_ —all of these unspeakable things—and here I am, out here living my childhood dream, able to go back to my family anytime I want, and I'm still complaining about how hard it is for _me_ just having to watch. It's not fair or respectful, and I just… you know, I feel guilty about all of this, and it… it _sucks_ , knowing that I can't actually do anything to make it better."

"Ruby, you're a kid," Blake reminded her. "Don't beat yourself up over this. You didn't get to choose what happened in your life. What matters now is understanding the power that's been given to you, and what you choose to do with it. You have probably helped Zelina more today than almost anyone has her entire life, and you should feel good about that. Relish it. Use it. Turn it into something better tomorrow. Make it through one day at a time if you have to. Because, honestly, if someone as doughy-eyed as you gives up, then there's no chance we're ever going to make things better for people like Zelina, or Zara… or me."

"I know, I know," Ruby said once more, nodding in contemplation. She sniffled again, and casually removed her foggy glasses, wiping them clean on the fabric of her cape. "It's kind of funny, though. The first time we met, you did tell me that becoming a Huntress was going to end up draining me of everything. I didn't think it would happen this soon."

"Maybe," Blake shrugged, "but I never said that it should have to."

Ruby smiled genuinely at her. For once, looking into that pair of yellow eyes didn't immediately remind her of a sense of longing or despair, and there was a warmth emanating from the older girl that she didn't even know was possible. Brooksbarrow was a strange, desolate place where everything within it seemed to wither away and die, and its magnetic trance had pulled her along deeper and deeper. It was an odd relief to hear something of such value from the one person on her team she felt like she never fully understood, and maybe it was because of that the rest of her words came out without much forethought.

"Hey, I'm sorry for the training schedule."

"Um, what?" Blake asked in surprise as Ruby removed her hand from her shoulder.

"The training schedule," Ruby clarified. "It was wrong of me to pair you up with Weiss and Yang without your consent, and I know you hate your busy workload and how it feels like I'm restraining you sometimes, and I'm sorry about all of that. It's not fair to you."

"I…" Blake opened her mouth to protest but quickly felt her worries flow away from her. "Actually, it's no big deal. The truth is that I haven't been a very good teammate, and you were just looking out for the interests of the group. If you're going to remain the leader, you probably deserve to be treated with a bit more respect. I promise I'll be better going forward."

"You will?"

"I'll try," Blake smirked. "Also, you don't have to change the schedule to accommodate me. Yang and Weiss have only gotten better since I started tutoring them, so we probably shouldn't stop now. Besides, I think I'm actually starting to like hanging out with those losers."

Ruby giggled to herself and stuck out her fist in a sign of solidarity. "Okay. We'll _both_ promise to do better. Deal?"

Blake playfully moaned, and lightly bumped Ruby's fist with her own. "Fine. Deal. Now, let's stop crying and get this shit over with."

"Gotcha," Ruby agreed, wiping the last of her tears away and giving her glasses one last readjustment on her face. "So, how do you want to do this? Good cop, bad cop routine?"

"I was thinking we actually just walk in and threaten to cut her head off if she doesn't hand the book over," Blake said blankly, motioning to the sword on her back. "But I mean, yeah. Good cop, bad cop. That works, too."

Ruby took the lead, keeping her head low as she pushed open the front door. Immediately, the rowdy noises of the patrons overtook her, and the rush she got from entering such a dangerous place surged through her veins. She had never seen such a collection of drunkards, and it was almost as if every single man in the town had swarmed the bar for the night, drinking away their miseries together. It made sense to her; if she was in a town with nothing else to do, and she had to do their hard, tedious work every day, she would probably want a pint to smooth over her troubles. The men hardly seemed to notice them, too busy losing themselves in their wasteful nighttime festivities to pay attention to the two teenage girls walking into the place where they didn't belong. Blake seemed undeterred by the matter, and stepped shoulder-to-shoulder with Ruby, motioning to the hearty woman behind the counter, working diligently to keep her patrons happy.

"That's her," Ruby stated. She took a deep breath and made her way over to the countertop. She barely made it a few feet inside the door before Yulia Chesterfield noticed her, and the joyful, proud expression on her face turned immediately sour.

"Hey. It's you again," Yulia said snidely, grabbing a bottle off the top shelf. She began to polish it, keeping herself busy as she made her way towards Ruby from the opposite end of the counter. "Didn't expect to see you again so soon."

"Hi, Yulia," Ruby said politely. "We know you're very busy tonight, but we'd like to have a word with you."

"I already told you that I can't help you," Yulia said, agitated down to the harsh strokes she used to polish her liquor. "And who's this? Didn't know there were more of you Huntresses coming into town."

"This is Blake," Ruby said, remaining calm. "She's a good friend of mine, and together we need to ask you some questions about the topic we discussed earlier today."

"Look, girl," Yulia groaned, "I tolerated you earlier because you're so damn cute. But now, it's working hours, and I'm not in the mood for repeating myself. I can't help you find the book."

Blake stepped forward, propping herself up against the countertop on her elbows. She did not even attempt to hide her bluntness. "Yulia, lying to us isn't going to get us anywhere, and neither is delaying the inevitable. It'll all be over the sooner we get honest with ourselves."

Yulia scowled, flicking the bottom of the bottle towards Blake. "You know, I think I liked the other girl better. Much less talkative."

"And much more gullible," Blake noted. "Look, I get that you're still doing the whole 'denial act', but we're sort of past that now considering that multiple people have already tried to kill us today. So, honestly, we could go and back forth for an hour and slowly squeeze the truth out of you, or we could cut the bullshit and you can just hand us back Zelina's book. Okay?"

Yulia pursed her lips, her gaze tightening. Ruby quickly glanced at Blake, her optimism wavering slightly. Playing the bad cop was one thing, but she needed to make sure the girl was still actively trying to get Yulia on their side. The last thing they needed was to get kicked out the establishment with nothing to show for it, or worse, attract the attention of the drunken patrons who already weren't too happy about the presence of wannabe Huntresses in their town.

"Miss Chesterfield," Ruby stated. "Please, we understand that this isn't what anyone wanted to happen. We don't know what occurred between you and Zelina that caused all of this, but you have to understand that we have a job to do. We were hired to help this poor woman get back what was stolen from her, and we are not leaving until we return her belongings safe and sound like she asked of us. We don't want to make this difficult."

"No one wants this to be difficult," Yulia hissed. She groaned loudly, slamming the bottle down onto the counter, furrowing her brow. "God, do you know how hard this has been? We were good. No problems to speak of between any of us. She would stay out of the way of the townspeople and I would help her out every now and then, and that was that. I always just thought of it as naturally the right thing to do. It was never complicated until—"

"Until you found out about the White Fang," Blake stated. Yulia sighed. For a moment, the whole bar seemed to get quiet, just enough to hear Yulia's heavy breathing as her face scrunched up. She began to sweat, and it seemed every one of her doubts was pouring itself out of her, exposing themselves for the world to see. She gently picked up the bottle one more and examined its label; Ruby could only assume, but it appeared to her that her eyes were barely registering the words written on its glass surface.

"My sister died in a terrorist attack," Yulia said uncomfortably. "It happened a long time ago. She was driving through Vale when she decided to stop at a pharmacy before coming home to visit because she was feeling sick. As chance would have it, a Faunus decided to shoot up that place the same day. They told us she died quickly—a single shot through the back pierced her heart, and that was it. An entire life snuffed out in an instant, and she never even knew about it. Mom and dad swore vengeance up and down the block, but me? My sister wasn't a hateful person. She would have expected better of me than to hate an entire race of people based on the actions of one jerk with a grudge. So, I left town." Yulia placed the bottle on the shelf, carefully adjusting it so it lined up with the others. "People come to Brooksbarrow to get away from the troubles of the world. It's our own little pocket of despair and sunshine, where not even the Kingdom gets to have control over us. It was supposed to help me forget about my problems, and when I met Zelina, I thought that maybe I'd finally gotten over myself."

"So, what went wrong?" asked Ruby.

"That's the question, isn't it?" Yulia muttered under her breath. "About a month ago, curiosity finally got the better of me, and I did a little digging into Zelina's past. When I found out about what happened to that town she used to live in, and what the White Fang did to it, to all those kids, I just lost it. It was like all these things I had bottled up inside me came out. I felt like I couldn't just let it go unpunished. In Brooksbarrow, we have a real simple rule: If someone wrongs you, you wrong them right back. Eye for an eye. It's how things are done. So, I reached out to a few people in town, and I told them how to make Zelina hurt the best way I could."

That was supposed to be it. A confession. The answers finally laid out in front of them. And yet, Ruby didn't feel satisfied. The guilt was palpable in Yulia's voice, and instead of triumphing over her, it somehow felt like they were the bad guys, forcing another woman to relive something she clearly wasn't happy with.

"Yulia, you have to know what that means," claimed Ruby. "I mean, you have to have known what that would do to her."

"I know," Yulia admitted. "I realized it the second those thugs handed the book to me. But by that point, it was too late. I couldn't return it to her; if she found out I was the one who did that to her, she would never forgive me. I tried to convince her for weeks that it was no big deal, that she would forget all about it and move on, but… well, since you're standing here, you can see how well that plan went. It's just all fallen apart now, I guess."

Blake rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm glad you realized that you're a shitty person, but that doesn't undo all the trouble you put us through. If you're sincere about making things right, you'll hand the book over to us so we can make this right, and then never speak to Zelina again."

Yulia closed her eyes, and then, gradually, she nodded her head. "That… that would be for the best, wouldn't it?"

"I think so," said Ruby, "but that's up to Zelina. We're just here for the book."

"Right. Let me go get that," Yulia said, turning her back to the others. Solemnly, she stepped out from behind the counter, and slowly made her way to a backroom, sliding her way past the talkative customers who were blissfully unaware of the situation surrounding them. Ruby and Blake waited patiently at the bar until a few minutes later, when Yulia finally returned to their sight carrying a massive tome in her arms. The book wore a thick, unmarked leather cover, and Ruby could see that the edges of the pages were aged, chipped and yellow, its total collective size and volume bigger than her head. From the outside, no one would have ever realized the immense value that book had to its owner, nor the potential value it had to the girls with its unknown knowledge of the Grimm, though that idea seemed so distant at the time. To anyone else, it was just an old book. Yulia carried it gently, hugged to her chest as not to drop it, and made sure to avoid any of the rowdy customers who could accidentally damage it. She stopped in front of the students, but when Ruby held out her hands to take the book away, Yulia gently shook her head. "Actually, if it's all right with you, I'd like to be the one who gives this to Zelina. I stole this from her by hiring someone else to do my dirty work. It's only right that I look her in the eye when I give it back to her."

The girls did not protest, and with a gentle call to her patrons to keep the place tidy until she returned, the three of them exited the bar and headed out into the forest. They did not speak a word to each other as they traveled, but Blake couldn't keep her eyes off the back of Yulia's head, watching her hungrily in case she tried any last desperate trick. Ruby kept her eyes to the dirt beneath her, lost within her own thoughts. The trek among the trees seemed to go by longer than usual, but in the end, they found their way to the dilapidated house at the end of the road, the front door unlocked and waiting for them. Yulia hesitated outside the entranceway for only a second before readjusting the book in her arms and making her way onto the front porch. Ruby watched from afar as she entered the room and was instantly greeted by silence. The house was almost exactly as they left it. Yang was resting on top of the windowsill, staring out into the dark forest, her legs propped up against the wall. Weiss sat on the couch, legs crossed, her hands in her lap, staring straight ahead into nothingness, her expression completely blank. And then, there was Zelina, rocking gently in her chair, nervously plucking at the fur on her arms, until her unfocused eyes eventually wandered to the figure standing in the doorway, and then, down to the object she held tightly in her arms.

At first, it was disbelief. Zelina's eyes went wide, and she rose from her chair, standing across the room from the woman she considered her closest friend. Her feet moved without her telling them to, and she crossed the barrier between them one step at a time, never losing sight of the weary tome in Yulia's arms. She moved closer and closer still until she was inches away, and automatically, her arms reached out and her fingers gently glided against the book's surface, feeling its familiar, coarse exterior. Her fingers hovered their almost endlessly, unable to do anything more without further guidance from her frozen mind. Yulia tried to smile at her, manually placing the book into Zelina's arms, gently folding them over each other until the Faunus copied her, hugging the book tightly to herself, unable to let go, like a mother nurturing her child.

Then, Zelina's breaths became ragged, and her face cracked, and for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, she broke down into sobs. Without saying a word, Yulia stepped forward, embracing the woman tightly, letting her collapse her tear-soaked face into her shoulder, the book that had been kept for generations held snugly between them. She sobbed openly and loudly, letting herself lose the last bit of control she had over herself, losing her ways in the sorrow, and the frustration, and the utmost joy of having her most precious treasure finally returned to her arms, and Yulia was there to hold her throughout all of it, keeping the older woman safe and secure in her embrace.

Team RWBY watched the affair in silence. It had been around twenty-four hours since they stepped foot into Brooksbarrow with the goal of learning the secrets of the Grimm. Instead, they had been through an incredible ordeal, one which they were all thankful to be finally done with. The next day, Ruby planned to ask Zelina if she would be willing to allow them to take a look at the passages within the book, and then hopefully, they would be one step closer to unraveling the mystery of the horrible thing which attacked them in the Emerald Forest. But for the moment, they watched in silence. No smiles. No congratulations. Simply an old, dark room with four young Huntresses, a woman, a Faunus, and her book, reunited at long last with tears in the moonlight.

Mission accomplished.


	32. The End of a Life

_Grimm: Beings of Contradiction and Shadow._

 _Old as Man first walked upon the soil, the beings black as night come in shape and size of all. They are birthed from never-light, squirming from the ooze fully formed. They cry like whistles children, their screams haunting and earthshattering, attracting weak Men to their calls like babies crying for their mothers. They seem like animals—territorial, aggressive, dumb—but they live not for the desire to reproduce, but for the single unending quest of consuming the Souls of Humans. But they are crude beings; unknowledgeable of how to consume their prey, they bite into flesh unabated, tearing through blood and sinew, desperate to obtain the treasure beneath the heart. Unbroken by Dust, blade or time, Grimm can only be warded off by the very contradiction that fuels their existence, undone by the power that keeps them strong._

 _Once cast back into Shadow, at the time of prophecy, they shall return. By the will of God, they shall strike vengeance down upon Humanity, and the sins of the wicked shall be cleansed from the world, and through the smoke and ash of civilization, Darkness Eternal will reign as the Souls of the Lands are consumed. The Champions of Light shall fall one by one, and the Trumpeter will play softly songs of the scorched world, and the tomes of God will speak of the End, and the Dawn shall not ever return._

 _As so the Grimm bring Death._

And that was it. After scanning the entirety of Zelina's book, those paragraphs were all the girls could find of the stories of the Grimm. Traveling across the Kingdoms, fighting off the Droog scourges, rebuilding broken relationships: all of it was done for the single, express purpose of finally learning more about the thing that attacked them in the forest, which killed so many people and nearly ate Team CFVY. After so long of Ozpin lying to them and hiding things from them, they were looking forward to getting to the bottom of things. But, as they sat patiently at the bus stop, waiting to take another fifteen hour ride back to Beacon to enjoy what little remained of their fall break, Ruby couldn't help but think of those brief passages over and over and over again, pouring over every word, searching for every possible meaning, until finally, with a heavy sigh, she had to come to the conclusion that the knowledge inside the book was—

"Absolutely worthless," Weiss sneered, throwing her hands down in frustration.

Ruby wouldn't have said that. _Horribly_ _confusing_ is what she would have gone with, but she could hardly disagree with her teammate's reasoning, especially considering she was hardly the only one who happened to share it.

"So, we had to go through all of this for nothing?" Yang groaned. She sat on top of her suitcase, holding her head in her hands. Blake sat cross-legged on the floor next to her, and she elbowed Yang sharply in the shin, causing the blonde to flinch.

"Yang, we helped a woman a lot yesterday," Blake reminded her.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. It's awesome that we were able to some good," Yang said truthfully. "It's just that after having to degrade myself for those assholes, I was expecting to get some kind of payoff. It's so anticlimactic."

"Weren't _you_ the one who actively decided to degrade yourself?" Blake questioned.

"Weren't _you_ the one who enjoyed it?"

"You are ten seconds away from getting another elbow to the shin."

"Aside from the fact I have no idea what you're talking about," Weiss quickly chimed in, "Yang has a point. A good deed is fine, but if another Grimm happens to attack us, we really do need to learn more about them sooner or later. A vague paragraph or two isn't going to do us much good when that thing is trying to eat us. I mean, 'undone by what makes it strong'? What does that even mean?"

"Maybe it means they can be destroyed by the Soul?" Ruby theorized. "So, would Semblances be able to hurt them? I remember something in my old fairy tales about Huntsmen destroying Grimm with the power of the Soul."

"Except I'm pretty sure I hit it with my Semblance in the forest," Yang stated, "and that did nothing. Besides, your Semblance and Blake's Semblance can't be used offensively, and Weiss can't even use her Semblance at all, so that doesn't really help us. Unless maybe you charge into the Grimm at super high speeds like a big battering ram."

"Then maybe it's not Semblances, but something else," Ruby stammered. "Like… if they live in the shadows, we could beat them by… throwing shadows at them?"

Blake rolled her eyes. "What the hell does that even mean?"

"I don't know!" Ruby protested. "I'm trying my best. If you want to try something, you are more than welcome to."

The girls sat together in silence, brainstorming as they waited for the bus to arrive. After a few contemplative moments, Yang snapped her fingers, grinning wildly.

"I got it!" she said triumphantly. "Grimm are indestructible, right? Well, you know how there's that old adage about an unstoppable force and an immovable object? I bet the way to stop the Grimm is to force it to kill itself."

"You want us to trick the Grimm into suicide?" Weiss asked doubtingly.

Blake shrugged. "I mean, I guess you could let Weiss talk to it for five minutes."

"Hey!"

Yang shook her head. "No, no, hear me out. That Grimm that attacked us managed to bite my gauntlet at one point and it ripped almost all the way through. Trust me, this thing is pretty sturdy, so the fact that it nearly broke my arm means that those teeth have to be pretty powerful. What if we tried to rip out its teeth and claws and fastened weapons out of those?"

"How do you suppose we get their teeth and claws?" Blake asked, suspicious. "Do you think we can just waltz up to them and yank them out?"

"Or we can cut them out," Yang suggested.

"Cut them out with what? Our weapons can't hurt them?"

"It's a work in progress," Yang admitted, throwing up her arms in defeat. "I'd rather have at least something to work with than nothing at all, and it's better than thinking that this trip was unproductive."

"No, Yang has a point," Ruby nodded. "I'm sure we'll be able to work out something. We've managed to get this far. There's no point in giving up hope yet."

"Thanks, sis," Yang smiled.

They did not have to wait much longer for the bus to arrive. By noon, they heard the sound of the monstrous, guzzling engine in the distance, and eventually, the behemoth of a vehicle came into view. It drifted to a stop before them, and though the windows towered above them and the angle was sharp, Ruby could see that inside the bus was completely empty. They were the first and last stop to nowhere, and Ruby couldn't wait to get back to Beacon. Just two nights of sleeping at that motel nearly destroyed her back, and she longed for the comfort of a mattress that did not feel like a slab of concrete. Beacon food wasn't great, but the thought of eating anything made her mouth water. Unfortunately, she still had to take the fifteen-hour ride, a fact that had to remind herself of as she double checked to make sure she had all of her belongings. She pulled out her Scroll, searching for her ticket as the bus door opened for them, like greeting an old friend.

Team RWBY never had the chance to enter. Before they could begin their journey home, they heard the sound of footsteps rushing toward them, and when they turned their attention back to the town, they saw Yulia Chesterfield rushing toward them, dread and panic spread across her face.

"Girls!" Yulia panted, falling to her knees before them. Her entire body shook violently, and immediately, Ruby felt her heart fall into her stomach. "Something's happened."

* * *

The house was in ruins. The faint smell of burned wood permeated the air, stretching out deep int the forest. Its door and window were shattered beyond repair, and it had been disemboweled thoroughly, with all of its possessions thrown about carelessly in the front lawn. The outside walls had been bashed in so much that a hole was broken through its side, threatening to crack the entire foundation. The interior was almost certainly worse, and Yulia made herself busy by salvaging through it for anything valuable that remained, but Ruby couldn't even bear to check it for herself; her focus was instead directed to Miss Zelina Zaripova sitting on the dirt by a hollowed out tree, her clothes and arm covered in blood, and the book she held in her arms, its cover slashed apart, and the two police officers standing over her looking like they'd rather be anywhere else, and the palpable, overwhelming sensation of guilt that was pouring through her.

Droogs. Jayah and his boys, the very same men that tried to kill Ruby and Weiss in their own motel room just the day before. The girls had managed to hold them back, but after they were defeated and the girls had siphoned all the information they could out of them, they let them go, scampering off into the distance. They were caught up in the revelation of Zelina's White Fang connection, and they had simply assumed that the boys would retreat forever, too terrified by their presence to strike back. It was an easy decision, so easy that even the more experienced Blake couldn't be bothered to tie up the Droogs she struck down in their own home. In their minds, they defeated the bad guys. They had won.

It was a rookie mistake. At the break of dawn, the Droogs regrouped. It didn't take long for them to piece together that the girls were Huntresses, and it took even less time to figure out that it was Zelina who must have hired them. Revenge was written into the blood of the Droog code of ethics, but attacking the girls again was deemed suicide. The poor Faunus who hired them? No one would be able to stop them. And it was for that reason that Ruby found herself standing amongst the ashes of Zelina's old life, with Weiss staring in shock at the damaged house, Blake leaned casually up against one tree, and Yang furiously slamming her fist into another one close by.

"Goddammit!" she screamed, her fist splintering off chunks of thick bark. Red eyes couldn't stand to look at the destruction behind her, and she took out her anger again on the defenseless tree before her. "How… how could we be so fucking _stupid_?"

"Yang, stop it," Blake told her halfheartedly.

"Why did just let them go?" Yang shouted at nothing. "We could have captured them, or called the authorities, or fuck, we could have _killed_ them! Instead, we just beat them up and, what, _pretended_ that would be the end of it? I can't believe how fucking dumb we are!"

"There was a lot going through our minds at the time," Blake said. Yang wasn't the only one to whom she was trying to justify her actions. "We thought Ruby could have been in trouble, remember? We didn't have time."

"We had time at the motel. We had time with their leader!" Yang exclaimed. "Just… _fuck_ , this is stupid. What kind of Huntresses are we?" She continued her assault on the tree, throwing out expletives with every single strike until she created a dent in its surface several inches deep. She had been doing so well the past several weeks. For the first time in a long while, she had felt like she was starting to get control of her life again. But at that moment, it slipped through the cracks of her fingers like sand, and she could once again hear that voice cutting through the back of her mind. _Stupid. Worthless. Failure._ Its words were loud like cannon fire, and with every focused punch, it only grew louder, its tone more condescending, every syllable laced with malice.

Blake tried her best to ignore the temper tantrum happening mere feet away from her. Her face gave way no emotion. She simply sighed and gently scanned the ruins of the house, the same house which Weiss could not take her eyes off. The heiress was unmoving, standing straight and tall amidst the chaos. She did not notice the wind whipping up dirt onto her perfect white clothes. She did not even notice Yang's fit in the corner of her eye. She noticed nothing. She felt nothing. Ruby, on the other hand, felt _everything_ : the soft pain seared on Zelina's face, the pressure of having to make things right once again, the agony of knowing that it was her presence that caused all of this in the first place. When she walked up to Zelina and started listening in on her conversation with the police, those feelings only got worse.

"What am I supposed to do about my things?" Zelina asked mournfully.

"I don't know," one of the cops scoffed. "Replace them. Bury them. Do whatever you want."

"But… but I can't replace these. I can't afford—" Zelina stuttered. The cops looked at each other in frustration. They were both older men, tired and out of shape, likely the oldest and most worthless cops in their precinct. They were the bottom of the totem pole, yet even they seemed to be aware that they had better things to do with their time. They did not bother taking any notes or calling for backup, and one of them constantly checked his Scroll for the whole conversation.

"Look, kid, I get you're slow, but there's only so many ways we can explain it to you," the cop groaned. "It's _not_ our responsibility to fix your broken shit. You didn't get it insured, so you can't complain about not being able to replace it."

"Hey," Ruby said, stepping into view of the officers. "Is everything okay? Zelina, you're bleeding."

Zelina looked down at her arm and grimaced. "Oh… I'm fine. It's just a bad cut. I'll survive."

Judging from the amount of blood running down her arm, it was an understatement. Ruby shook her head fearfully. "Zelina, you need to get to a hospital."

"No, it's fine," Zelina insisted. "Yulia can help me patch it up."

One of the cops snickered. "Not like you can afford a hospital anyway, right?"

Ruby scowled. "Officers, what exactly happened here?"

"What happened is this woman decided to piss off the wrong people in town," replied the other cop. "It really shouldn't come as a surprise. This is what happens when you mess with things you don't understand."

Zelina shrunk in her seat, clutching the book closer to her chest. Every subtle movement of her arm caused her to wince, but she kept her whimpers low, trying to stay as obedient as possible. Ruby clenched her fist, feeling her nails dig into her flesh. She was helpless in the presence of their authority, and all she could do was desperately try to plead her case.

"Officers, there has to be something we can do to catch the people responsible," Ruby stated. The officers merely shrugged.

"Unfortunately, this woman's testimony here doesn't point us to any conclusive suspects."

"What?" Ruby asked in disbelief. "The Droogs did this. It's obvious."

"Even if that was true—which we don't know if it is—there's not much we could do about that," they explained. "Those boys have likely already fled town by this morning, and are far outside our jurisdiction. If they happen to commit any more crimes along the way, maybe someone else will take them down. But, until then, it's a cold case."

"So you're saying you're going to do nothing?" Ruby could hardly believe what she was hearing. A woman was robbed and assaulted. Her property was vandalized past repair. She lied crying and bleeding in the dirt right in front of them, and yet when she looked into their eyes, she saw nothing but apathy and contempt. Contempt for the house in front of them. Contempt for the plight of the Faunus. Contempt for anyone that wasn't them. Ruby could hardly stand it. She had thought Yang's reaction was too explosive, but truthfully, it was a fraction of a fraction of the anger she felt at that moment. She tried to be optimistic about the mission. She tried to stay calm for Zelina's sake, for her teammates' sake, but she had enough. Her nails dug deeper into her flesh, cutting through the first layer of her skin, and she opened her mouth, ready to unload all of the pent-up frustration from the past day—but before she could say anything, another furious voice cut her off from afar.

"How dare you?"

Ruby was stunned into silence, and the group's attention was drawn to the center of the clearing, where Weiss Schnee had turned her icy gaze onto them, her lips curled into a snarl. She marched towards them, her stride both graceful and powerful, and she stormed past Ruby and came to a stop mere feet in front of the policemen, standing in such a way that Zelina could catch a perfect view of her enraged face as she pointed at the officers and did what she did best: tear others down.

"How dare you two act like this?" Weiss said accusingly. "You people honestly call yourselves men of the law? You should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves. Do you have any idea what kind of things this woman has had to endure in order to be here today? This woman right here has more honor and integrity in one mitochondrion than you've demonstrated your entire worthless lives, and yet you have done nothing but look down upon her as you are better than her. She has had to work and struggle every single day while you lazy bastards lie in your beds and watch daytime television and wait for your wives to finally figure out that you are the source of all their problems in life and file for a divorce. Where I come from, if someone ever acted so disrespectfully, they would be castrated without a second thought, not that I'm sure we could ever even _think_ about doing that to you considering how little much of substance you actually seem to have down there. You are not worthy of those badges, those guns, and I'm fairly certain you aren't even worthy of your limited pathetic existences, so before you further make me question whether or not the Human race should devolve back into the primordial sludge, why don't you stop acting like a bunch of patronizing assholes and start doing your _fucking job_?"

Ruby was left speechless. She had been on the receiving end of several Weiss Schnee rants, and it was not surprising at all to learn that no matter the subject or the victim, she knew how to make the strongest of wills bend before her. Her attack was strong enough to lull even Yang into a state of shock, and Yulia popped her head out of the broken front door of the house just to catch a glimmer of the catastrophe. The cops glanced nervously at each other, unsure of how to respond, but before Weiss could continue making her point, Zelina reached out a hand and gently touched it against Weiss's.

"Girls. It's okay," she said quietly.

"What? No, it isn't," Weiss said angrily. "You can't let them treat you like this."

"Fighting back is just going to make things worse, and I can't let you get arrested because of me," Zelina explained carefully. "Please, you don't have to do any more for me. It's going to be fine."

"But—"

"Trust me," Zelina said more forcefully, curling her finger's around Weiss's hand. Her skin was coarse to the touch, but Weiss did not protest. She merely watched in surprise as the Faunus stared longingly at the remains of her house, and let out a soft smile. "Belongings are just that. I collected those things because I was trying to find an attachment to something without my daughter by my side. Yulia and I rebuilt my life once, and we can do it again. There will always be more trinkets and antiques to find. The truth of the matter is: I don't feel like I need them that much anymore. The fact that there are four good Huntresses like you out there—four good _Humans_ like you—who are willing to travel all the way across the Kingdom for me, and do so much to help me without expecting anything in return… that means more to me than anything. Even more than this."

Zelina looked down at the book in her arms, its leather cover slashed apart but still welcoming to the touch. She had kept it in her possession for years, always keeping it safe and secure, letting its memory linger with her for as long as possible. It was her most special treasure, containing not just legends of the world, but tales of her family, the many Faunus who were loved and left behind. She gently glided her hand over the cover, savoring its touch one last time before slowly, unbelievably extending the book out to the girls as a parting gift. "I want you to have this."

Weiss backstepped, stunned. "W-What?"

Ruby shook her head furiously. "No, no, no, no, Miss Zaripova… we can't possibly take this from you. It means so much…"

"You're not taking this from me," Zelina said, sniffling away tears. "I'm _giving_ this to you. In Faunus culture, we pass down our memories from one generation to the next so that the lessons and lives of our ancestors will never be forgotten. I won't be able to do that if I keep it locked away in an old woman's house forever. If my life is going to have a fresh start, I must truly wipe the slate clean. I… I was planning on giving to Zara one day when she was old enough. It's actually kind of funny. The four of you girls remind me of her, each in your own special way. I think maybe… she would want good Humans like you to have it. I know you were disappointed by the passages you were looking for, but perhaps if you look a little deeper, you'll find more value in this than you realize."

Ruby's hands were trembling as she reached out towards the book. It felt so incredibly wrong, but she knew she wouldn't be able to turn the old woman down. She took the book in arms like a child, cradling it softly in her arms, treating it like the priceless treasure that she knew it was. She had come to the town expecting knowledge about the Grimm, but she was leaving with something so different she had difficulty even fully comprehending it. From the house, Yulia Chesterfield watched them with a sad smile, knowing the work that was left to be done. It was work that, as the girls soon discovered, would be there's and there's alone. Zelina wasted little time afterward in reminding them that they were supposed to be taking a long bus ride back to Beacon, and it was only then did Ruby realize that she never properly said goodbye the first time.

"Miss Zaripova," Ruby said hesitantly. "I… I don't even know what to say."

"Then say nothing," Zelina suggested. "You've done so much for me, Ruby. I only hope you can be there for others the same way you were there for me."

"I will," Ruby said confidently. "That's a promise. And if you ever change your mind and need your help, send us a letter at Beacon. We'll help however we can."

"I appreciate that," Zelina smiled.

"She's not kidding," Weiss added. "If you ever find yourself down any money, send the word. I would be more than willing to give you a donation. It's the least I can for all of the stress I caused."

"Thank you very much," said Zelina. "I'm sorry too for frightening you last night. I hope that your studies go well for you, Miss Schnote."

Weiss chuckled at the reminder of her fake name, giving a small curtsey in return. "Yes, of course, ma'am. I'll do my best." She turned briefly to the two police officers, who had all but retreated back towards the forest out of pure shame. "And you two… don't ever let me catch you doing something like this again."

The pair gave one last wave goodbye to Yulia, and then turned back to the forest to be on their way. Yang watched them go, and gave chase after them, quickly shouting out a "Stay cool, Miss Z.," on her way out into the forest. Blake began after her, but after only a few steps, she paused dead in her tracks. A rogue thought suddenly entered her mind, and after giving herself only a few seconds to mull it over, she changed course and jogged over to Zelina, surprising the others. Zelina watched her approach with caution, and when she arrived she knelt down beside the Faunus, and whispered something into her ear, holding their heads close together as she did so. Her teammates could not hear what she was saying, but they could watch as Zelina's face changed from one of curiosity to one of pure shock, her eyes growing wide as saucers and her mouth agape. When Blake pulled away from her after a long moment, Zelina instinctively grabbed onto her hands, and began studying them, turning them over in her grasp as she eyed Blake up and down.

"But… how did you—" she asked tentatively, but Blake shrugged her off.

"Long story," she said simply. "Look after yourself, okay?"

With that, Blake turned to leave, glancing behind her one last time to Zelina smiling proudly at her, filled with a level of hope the girls did not know was possible from the Faunus. She jogged back over to the others, and though they all asked her what the secret message was that was so important, Blake refused to answer, saying that she would tell them another time. It was a long walk back to the bus stop. A strange one. Then again, it was a strange town, one that they would get out soon. Hypothetically, of course. There was zero indication that the bus would have actually waited for them, which meant that they needed to buy more tickets for the next day, assuming the bus even ran on that day. Nevertheless, when they eventually did gather their things and get on the bus, the fifteen-hour ride home flew by like nothing at all, and soon they were back at Beacon Academy, ready to continue their training to become Huntresses, never forgetting the tears shed in the backwater town of Brooksbarrow.

 **Note: Another arc bites the dust. We'll be honest, this was originally supposed to have a much bleaker ending, but we felt like the poor characters had been through enough already. So, we went for bittersweet and not just bitter. With the third arc down, we've finally completed a section that drew nothing from the original source material, and it was fun. But as we said the last chapter, the next arc will feature a lot more characteristics from the show. Before then, we'll probably include another filler chapter or two because those are always a blast to write. Until then, let us know what you thought of this arc as a whole and what you are looking forward to next.**

 **See you in 2019.**


	33. The Rejects

**Note: Okay, so here's the deal. We weren't planning on picking up the story again til 2019, because we were planning on spending the next few days with family. But then, we got some free time, and we got thinking, and then we decided, screw it, let's write another chapter. But, as we said before, we want to put more filler-y content between our major story arcs (still canon, but less important and less serious in tone). So, this and the next chapter are going to be about an idea we had about six months ago but decided not to go with at the time. We were fools. Truthfully, despite how horribly dark and depressing this story is, we adore absurdist writing, and this chapter was us finally getting to take the angst-anchors off and go nuts. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did writing it. See you in 2019. For real this time.**

* * *

This is a story about a student named Aqua Lilliota.

Ever since she was a young girl, Aqua dreamed about becoming a Huntress. Her mother was a well-respected professor at Shade Academy in Vauo; her father was a pediatrician. One would have supposed that would make for a rather comfortable life, but that did not mean that Aqua ever felt comfortable growing up. With two parents always busy, she was raised by an ever-rotating cast of nannies, none of whom ever cared for beyond their hourly salary. As such, it was incredibly easy to retreat into herself, losing her way into her mind where she could dream about a place she could finally belong. She wished she could be more like her mother, so carefree and proud of helping others. So, why not become a Huntress and make the world a better place? It took years dedicating herself to the task of mastering combat, spending hours upon hours in her bedroom practicing with a spear, learning to let it flow naturally in her arms, feeling it become a part of her. Her Semblance gave her mastery over water, and she would spend the time during her classes learning to shape it between her fingers. When the time finally came for the entrance exam, she hardly broke a sweat. Did she score the highest? No, but she was persistent, and sometimes that mattered far more than anything else. The first time she ever recalled screaming uncontrollably was when she received her acceptance letter, and she was certain at that moment that she would finally discover the place she truly belonged.

Then, came the hardships. First, despite living her life mostly without the presence of her parents, it was incredibly painful to have to let them go. She had been confident that she could make it all on her own, but the moment her mother started to cry as she dropped her off at the airship, Aqua lost it in front of the crowd of her peers. Not that anyone noticed, too consumed in their own sadness, but it was still embarrassing. Still, she promised herself to get over it, and she tried to do just that. Next came the tests. The first test was brutal, a cruel reminder that she needed to work more on her upper body strength, but she recovered decently on the test of balance. Fighting the dog wasn't pleasant, but she gritted her teeth and forced her way through that as well. The written questions? She bailed on that pretty quickly after she noticed other students doing the same. A one-on-one battle her against her peers ended with a rather humiliating defeat, because she never thought that world trivia would ever be important after the seventh grade, but she thought she was thoroughly impressive in fighting off the rock golems, and she even got a smattering of applause when she showed off her Semblance against them. When Team Day rolled around, she was sweating bullets but was more than ecstatic at the results. She had made it into the top three teams, alongside an apathetic, boy named Tia Arancia, some dramatic edgelord named Blake, and this way too enthusiastic lady named Yang Xiao Long. Were they the best teammates in the world? Probably not. However, she went to sleep that night confident in her abilities to work it out, and she was certain that by the next day, everything would start to come together.

Of course, it didn't come together at all. It was royally fucked.

Somehow, the blonde and the emo chick got themselves nearly expelled in the middle of the night, and when Aqua woke up, Professor Goodwitch was knocking at her door telling her that they were reassigning teams. That wouldn't be so bad if Goodwitch hadn't forced them onto a team with two mostly useless idiots—a spunky, curly-haired boy named Mattis Brown and a sickly young fellow named Cyrus Cedarman—and on top of that, she was now suddenly on Team Five instead of Team Three. And she had to move into a different room. And all of her classes had been indefinitely delayed so she could spend a few days watching her former teammates partner up with some other girls she never heard of and take on the top team of the school, who used to be the second top team of the school, in deadly combat in order so they wouldn't get expelled or something. Truthfully, she had no idea what the fuck was happening or why she could care, and she kind of drifted in and out of focus during all of the matches. She remembered there was something to do with weapons getting broken, and that blonde lady might have gotten electrocuted at some point, and she thought there was a lot of arguing between the girls that got old really quick. Oh, and the girls' motto was "Go Fuck Yourselves." That was cute. She couldn't believe the school let them get away with that one. It was lightyears better than their own team motto. Team ATMC: Fully Charged.

Because they were atomic. That's it. That was the pun they were going for.

If there was any consolation, her teammates were nice. Ninety-nine percent incompetent, but nice. Tia was an artsy person, spending far too long in the bathroom adjusting his hair despite the fact that it being shaved on the sides meant that it was significantly less to manage than her own. Mattis could be occasionally funny and had a quick wit about him, but it wasn't something that could be translated well into team combat, and if it wasn't for a powerful Semblance, he probably wouldn't have even been in the school. Cyrus was polite and soft, like a big tissue, which was an appropriate comparison considering he seemed to catch the plague every other week. They lived in a tiny room together, something that initially freaked Aqua out until she realized that sharing a room would three boys could actually be sort of fun in a kinky way. But, even that idea was quickly blasted out of reality when Tia and Cyrus immediately started dating each other, and though the initial prospect of watching two not bad looking dudes make out with each other was alluring, it sort of got incredibly frustrating when they would do it _every single night_ when she was trying to study, germs and homework be damned.

She didn't know how they were Team Five. That meant that there were five teams worse than them, and she wasn't sure how anyone could possibly be more dysfunctional. But, she supposed, they somehow made it work. And yet, there was something off about everything. Something that sat deep within the back of her mind, consuming her thoughts almost every night when she went to bed. And so, that was what brought her to that moment: her and her teammates sitting in a diner together, getting ready to order breakfast as they returned from their fall break. They had literally just handed in their orders to the waitress when Aqua suddenly straightened out in her seat and asked the question that had been on her mind for weeks.

"Hey, guys," she wondered aloud, "do you ever feel like no one really cares about us?"

Judging by their surprised faces, it wasn't a question any of them were expecting. They were mostly expecting pancakes and sides of bacon. Maybe some syrup. Not questions about their self-worth.

"What do you mean?" asked Mattis curiously.

"I mean, have you guys noticed that nobody really seems to pay much attention to us?" Aqua clarified. "Like, at all? Whatsoever?"

"That's crazy," Mattis assured her. "Of course, people care about us."

"Do they? Think about it. When was the last time any of the professors called on us? Or any of the other teams have talked to us. Because I'm pretty sure the answer to the first question is the third day of class, and the answer to the second question is a big fat _never_. It's almost like we're… I don't know… like we're fading into the background."

"Aqua, we are never going to fade into the background," Tia said overconfidently. "Our stars will burn brightly until the end of time. When they write songs about our conquests, then you'll see."

"Tia, literally no one is going to write songs about us," Aqua stated. "No one writes songs about the best Huntsmen. You know what people write songs about nowadays? It's literally all boybands and twenty-two-year-old pop starlets who eventually fade into drug and alcohol abuse."

"I am aware of the failures of the mainstream music industry," Tia said, insulted. "I was implying that more independent artists could take up the task. You know, where the real talent is."

"Hold up," said Mattis. "Are you saying that boy bands don't have any talent? Have you heard of _Everglow_?"

"Oh, yeah, that Mistran group," Cyrus recalled. "You actually liked that one song of theirs, babe. Remember? The one that goes _'I wanna be with you every night/combat the shadows with our holy light.'_ Remember?"

"You only like them because they are cute," Tia said accusingly.

"Dude, they're a fucking boy band. The only reason _anyone_ likes them is that they're cute," Aqua said, irritated. "They don't win awards for their insightful lyricism."

"Do you think they're cute?" asked Tia.

" _Everglow_? Bitch, they're adorable," Aqua exclaimed. "But we're so off track now. My point was that I feel like we aren't being recognized by anyone at Beacon."

"I think you are exaggerating," Cyrus said, rubbing his nose on his sleeve. "We're only freshmen. It's hard to stand out for everyone."

"That's not true," said Aqua. "What about Pyrrha Nikos? Everyone in the goddamn world has heard of Pyrrha Nikos."

"That's the one exception," Mattis said dismissively. "Pyrrha is gonna Pyrrha."

"What about Ruby Rose? We all know who Ruby Rose is. Even before she had that whole thing where she and Weiss and Blake and Yang had to fight for their lives, there were all those stories about her punching people in the face and cuddling up to the Great Wolf. Like, that's exactly the kind of dramatic life _we_ should be having, but we're just wasting our time studying."

"Wait a second, why are you referring to all those girls on a first-name basis?" Cyrus questioned.

"That's the thing. _I don't know_!" Aqua said, exacerbated. She furiously combed her fingers through her blue-streaked hair, the very thought of the matter sending her into fits. "I've barely spoken to any of them, but somehow, I know what each of them looks like and what their faces are. I don't think I can name any other student in our class, but I know Team RWBY like the back of my hand. It's popularity without them having any sort of relationship with any of us. It's super weird."

"So, I think your problem has been misstated," Tia explained. "It's not that you feel like we're being pushed to the background; you think Team RWBY is being pushed to the foreground."

"Yeah, I guess," Aqua said, slamming her head against the table. "It's almost like there's this sort of _supernatural force_ which makes all of the cool, exciting stuff happen to only one team in our class and pretty much nobody else. It's as if the universe intended for them to get all of the attention and wants people to actively forget that other teams exist. Does anyone else feel like that?"

Her teammates stared blankly at her, absorbing her mini-meltdown before Mattis sighed and shook his head.

"Girlfriend, you need some fucking _pancakes_ in your belly."

Aqua rolled her eyes and groaned louder than she had ever groaned before, attracting the attention of every single customer surrounding them in the diner. "This is all Team RWBY's fault."

"I thought it was the universe's fault?" said Cyrus.

"I don't know. It's both of their faults," Aqua concluded. "They were the ones who sneaked out in the middle of the night on us when we were supposed to be under curfew. I mean, that shit could have gotten us expelled, and instead, it just rocketed them to a bunch of fame and attention."

"It's not like they didn't get punished for it though," Mattis reminded her. "They're Team Ten. We at least got to stay at Team Five."

"Please, they aren't staying at number ten for long," Aqua moaned. "Once the semester ends and the teams get reranked, those girls are going over us. They kicked CRDL's asses in two minutes and Ozpin adores them. We're probably going to end up falling down the ranks if anything. More good luck for Remnant's favorite Huntress team."

"I think you're being a bit pessimistic," Tia said. "When they write songs about us, you'll see how valuable you are."

"Fuck the ethereal concept of music!" Aqua declared, thrusting her fist into the air. "I'm pissed off now."

"Aqua. Pancakes," Mattis reminded her carefully, knowingly wagging a silver spoon at her.

"No. I won't be tamed by pancakes," Aqua stated defiantly. "Not by their wonderful flaky crust, or their soft, fluffy interior. Chocolate chip or banana, I will _not_ yield. This anger has to go somewhere, dammit."

"Then direct it towards the pancakes," Mattis suggested rationally. "And hey, if you don't want to eat them, then you can direct that anger towards shoving those pancakes directly into _my_ mouth. It's a heavy burden, but one I am willing to bear."

"Bitch, you ain't taking my pancakes," Aqua snapped. "I'm still going to eat them. Just… with hate."

"With hate?"

" _Hate-eating_ ," Aqua growled. Fortunately for Aqua's newly hateful stomach, the group's food arrived shortly after. They had been to the diner before, and the restaurant was always able to deliver on a meal that could satisfy the appetite of any Huntsmen-in-training. Plates stacked high with four flapjacks wider than a foot across were slammed in front of them on the table, slathered in melted butter alongside separate plates with strip after strip of greasily greased bacon. On a normal day, Aqua would take her time eating; she might have drizzled a bit of syrup into a dipping pool on the side, or, if she was feeling frisky, poured it along the top so that it cascaded down the edges of the pancakes like waterfalls. She would have taken appropriately sized, diligent bites, savoring the different tastes and textures, and she likely would have taken more than half of it home to eat a later time.

But fuck that noise! She was hate-eating. She didn't need knives or forks or syrup. She smashed her hands onto the pancakes while the others stared at her in terror, and she ripped out a massive chunk of food and shoved it into her mouth. She swallowed it without chewing once. Was it smart? No. Did it hurt her throat? Yes. Did she care? Fuck off, safety! She didn't even care that the rest of the diner seemed to catch onto her hateful binge. They were nothing but filthy sluts, the lot of them. Even the toddler. Slut. That child could fuck off. All she could think about was the _hate_. Hatred directly aimed at those stupid, piece-of-shit girls on Team RWBY. They were all just the worst. The absolute worst. The worst genocidal maniacs in the world had nothing on the loathsomeness of Team "Go Fuck Yourselves" RWBY. They took everything from her. All of the hard work and training she put into becoming a Huntress was stolen every time those self-centered bitches took the stage. Even when the fucked up so badly that the expression "fucked up" became historically associated with Team RWBY, they somehow always seemed to come out on top. No matter how terrible they were, it was RWBY, RWBY, RWBY all the way. They got all of the attention, and she got none of it. Again, she was being left behind by everyone, by the other students, by Ozpin and Goodwitch, just how her mom and dad left her behind, because all she ever wanted was for her parents to spend some more time with her when she was growing up and stop being so focused on their work, and finally get the approval that they never gave to her no matter how hard she tried because they never saw her as good enough, and that really wasn't too much to ask from the universe but she still never received it, and it was so damn frustrating that the first time in her life that her mother ever told her she was proud of her was when she was finally going away for four years to train, and she had done so much to keep her happy, including that time she managed to keep her affair with the neighbor a secret even though she was pretty sure her dad had already figured it out, but that still wasn't enough for the greedy woman, and she never got that bicycle she wanted when she was nine, and _holy fuck_ , did she have some repressed issues that she really needed to work out at some point.

But that didn't matter. Because hate.

"You know, Aqua," Tia stated wisely, "if you're so worried that Team RWBY is going to take over our spot, we could always do something to prove our worth to Ozpin."

"Like what?" Aqua asked through mouthfuls of panned cake. "I mean, those girls are already the best in his eyes. I'm sure of it. The only thing we could really do to prove how much better we are then them is to beat them in an actual fight. But it's not like that would ever happen."

"Yeah, you're right," Mattis said dejectedly, "unless we initiated a Challenge by the Honors."

"A what by the what now?" Aqua asked, looking at him confused with pancakes sticking out of her mouth.

"A Challenge by the Honors," Mattis explained. "It's a tradition in the four Huntsmen academies that if a student or students ever feel like they were wronged by another, they are allowed to challenge them to a direct fight. It's a lot like that battle RWBY and CRDL had at the start of the semester with all the non-lethality, except it's only one round and it's not in front of an audience. It dates back centuries."

"They'd actually let us do that?" Aqua said in disbelief.

"Yeah, pretty much," said Mattis with a shrug, quietly enjoying his pancakes in an unhateful manner. "Nothing says Huntsmen Academy like allowing your students to beat the crap out of each other to settle petty grudges. Then again, it's not like it's the most dangerous thing in the world. Both teams and Ozpin have to agree to the challenge, and he supervises the entire thing to make sure no one gets seriously injured. It's a pretty solid way to end feuds between teams or individual students, and it would let Ozpin see what we're made of. But considering how strong Team RWBY is, it would probably be a terrible idea. Right, Aqua?"

Aqua wasn't listening. Aqua was too busy staring emptily into space, letting her mind run wild as the pancakes fell from her lips onto the plate in front of her. Mattis nervously repeated himself.

"Right, Aqua? That would be a _terrible_ idea."

Suddenly, a wicked smile spread across Aqua's face from ear-to-ear, and her eyes became wide and bloodshot as she began to tremble with excitement. The boys looked at her uncomfortably as she picked up her fork, and then, with the force of a battering ram, slammed it down into her pancakes, spearing through each individual layer. She hoisted her malformed breakfast up into the air like a trophy, melted butter dripping down her hand and running down her arm as she began to laugh maniacally.

"Boys," she said deviously, "I have a terrible idea."

* * *

Ruby Rose sighed as she closed Zelina's book, and threw herself back against her bed, defeated. She had scanned through the book countless times over the past several days, but she wasn't finding anything to make its mysteries clearer. If anything, her problems only became even more confusing; Faunus loved to speak in riddles, and the book was absolutely littered with them. Finding the information about the Grimm was hard enough the first time, but knowing she had to decipher the rest made the process nearly impossible. Her teammates weren't much help either, lying in their own beds wasting time on their Scrolls, waiting for their genius leader to save the day once again. Ruby rubbed her eyes. She needed a nap, or at the very least something to take her mind off the book. Just for once, she would have loved a distraction.

There was a knock on the door. Ruby groaned and slowly got to her feet. "I'll get it." She walked tiredly to the door, opening it expecting to see one of the Professors, or Velvet, or a guard checking in with them to see how they had enjoyed their break and to get ready for classes. What she got instead was a girl she hardly recognized. Short. Muscular. Eyes: violet. Hair: dark and streaked with blue. Clothes: very much the same. Behind her: three boys. Two she recognized but could not place. Their arms: crossed, trying to look tough. Before Ruby could open her mouth, the girl suddenly pointed her finger directly into her face, nearly jabbing her eye out, and she grinned wildly.

"Team RWBY," the girl announced boldly, "in the name of our honor, we challenge you to a trial by combat!"

Ruby stared at them, unblinking. She had no response other than backing away slowly. A trial by combat? The name of their honor? What was the girl talking about? Was that even a thing one could do? The girl beamed with pride, and Ruby felt a cold sweat come over her. Behind her, her teammates had taken notice and peered out into the hallway to see the team that so rudely decided to interrupt their lazy afternoon, and they stared with equally wide and concerned eyes.

"I'm sorry," said Blake. "Who are you again?"


	34. ATMC vs RWBY

**Well, this became a lot more complex than we initially anticipated. We always like to experiment with different things, so thank you to everyone for keeping up with the changes. Additionally, we'd like to make a long overdue thank you to the people who have been constantly reviewing the story and giving us feedback, and we'd like to give a shoutout to those who have reviewed frequently and have always had something interesting to say: Gwynevere Whisper, sinnohs, Videocrazy, XaoOfTheMists, Dragon Lord Draco, RedShirt1453, EchoWolf31, Amidamaru88, JackTheSpades, Bill Gopher, spencermalley935, and RWBYGuy2015. Thank you to everyone who's given us the motivation to write for over a year. You guys are the best. Next time, we're going to get back to the main story, but for now, let's finish this mini-arc with a bang. Enjoy.**

* * *

 _Okay_ , Ruby thought, _let's take stock of what we have to work with._

Less than a week ago, she had just returned from a town called Brooksbarrow with a book. What was it about: Grimm. Hypothetically. Aside from one direct passage, there was little for her to work with, which was bad considering that not knowing anything about Grimm could have ended with her getting eaten by said Grimm. Its original owner: Zelina Zaripova. Faunus. Sweet woman. Hopefully doing okay. Ruby would have to write her letters another time. At the moment, she was busy.

A fight.

Her team: Team RWBY. Named after her: Ruby Rose. Status update: getting better. She honestly could not believe how much difference a month made. Her senses were more refined than ever. Her strength was the best it had ever been as well. She supposed those were the benefits of a concentrated upper body workout. Lifting her weapon was easier, her heart felt healthier, and if she really tried, she could actually make a muscle appear when she flexed in the mirror. The first time she did that, she squealed in delight. Was that how Yang felt every single day? If so, she understood why she was so happy all the time. Added benefit: she was getting more used to the whole leadership thing. The rest of the girls had mostly let the position fall to her, and while she originally a bit overzealous, she felt like the next few months would be when she really came into her own. She never would have guessed she would be so optimistic about the semester when she entered that first test chamber, but there she was, ready and able. Other added benefit: her birthday was coming up soon. She would be sixteen. She could learn to drive a car.

Weiss Schnee. Status update: Friends? No, that wouldn't be accurate. Begrudging acquaintances. Although, as she thought about it, there was nothing very begrudging about their relationship. They had gotten to the point where they were more than willing to tolerate each other's presence. It was a far cry from when Ruby would want to punch her in the face just by thinking about her. And, to be perfectly fair, most of the work was done by Weiss. One hallway apology had been the turning point, and Weiss's defense of Zelina in Brooksbarrow and her offer to help the Faunus rebuild using her family's fortune was a welcome gesture of kindness and a reminder that despite her temperament, the Schnee very much did have a heart. Thinking about it further, Ruby realized that there may even have been an occasion where they actually enjoyed being around each other. Upon getting off their grueling fifteen-hour bus ride, Ruby accompanied Weiss into the city so the heiress could stop by a twenty-four-hour burger joint and gorge herself on her new favorite Valian food, and incredibly, during their meal, the pair talked. Not about their mission or their schoolwork; just about random, meaningless things. At one point, Ruby told a halfhearted joke, and Weiss even _smirked_. It was the marvel to end all marvels. Granted there were still kinks, first and foremost the attitude, and second, the casual racism. But Ruby had good reason to believe the former would wear itself down over time, and as for the second, she had a plan to deal with that.

Blake Belladonna. Status update: warming up to things. The pair had reached an agreement two days before about rewriting Blake's schedule to give her more free time, and despite her concerns, Blake was more than fair in taking up her responsibilities. She would continue to tutor Yang and Weiss, but with a few time cuts and a rearranged format, there was far more time for Blake to do what she wanted. Ruby assumed that meant sulking around in the shadows, because she was determined that Blake simply enjoyed doing that, gaining whatever pleasure she could out of the experience. Her relationship with the others seemed to be improving as well, at least to the point where Ruby was no longer hearing any complaints about it. It even showed in their teamwork during practice, and since their conversation in Brooksbarrow, Ruby relished the idea of having another shoulder to lean on.

Yang Xiao Long. Status update: hanging in there. Ruby never would have predicted on the first day of school that of all her teammates, her own sister would be the one she had the worst relationship with. That wasn't to say it was bad by any stretch of the imagination. They got along as well as sisters could, aside from that longstanding bitterness both of them refused to talk about. Ruby hypothesized that the feeling was merely relative, that since their relationship seemed to be getting worse while her relationship with the others was improving so drastically, it seemed much more problematic than it actually was. What wasn't problematic was Yang's relationship with Blake, which Ruby had noticed was getting stronger by the day. How those two got along was a mystery, but the change was palpable every time the pair spoke. The shadow girl was less snarky when Yang was around her, and since the change in their schedules, they started eating dinner together as they studied, something Ruby was sure they would make a habit of. It was pleasant. If anyone could cause a wallflower to come out of their shell, it would be her sister and her infectious energy, and so long as they didn't do anything too brash like skipping practice to hang out together, Ruby was quite satisfied by the result.

Team RWBY's overall status: Improving every day. And, as they stood in the combat room, Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch watching over them from above in their skybox as the girls prepared themselves for the Challenge of the Honors, Ruby felt pretty good that they could conquer anything.

Their opponents: Team… Um… It was on the tip of her tongue….

So Ruby had no idea who they were fighting.

"Hey, what are you waiting for?" shouted the enemy's leader from across the room. They were only fifteen yards away, and yet somehow the girl screamed so loudly that it was though she was pressed against Ruby's ear. Ruby studied her. Name: Something. Strengths: Probably had some. Weaknesses: Yeah, sure, whatever. Weapon: A spear of some kind. It looked fancy. Semblance: Existed.

Her teammates: There also. One of them was an orange looking boy with a scar on his upper lip and a strange weapon in his hand: a large painter's brush in one hand and a palette in the other, dotted with red, blue, green, yellow, and more across its wooden surface. She didn't know anything about him. Another was a disheveled looking boy with curly hair and a morning star that he whipped about carelessly. She did remember him. Slightly. She spent a few anxiety-ridden hours with him before she was almost eaten alive. She remembered him being nice and not much else. The last was a sickly looking fellow with mustard-colored hair a pair of dual sickles, and his posture was so hunched that he looked like he would keel over at any moment. Ruby sort of remembered him too. He was there during those hours as well. That was the most she could say about him. Their leader, the blue-streaked firebrand, had plenty to say, however.

"You girls think you're so goddamn special, don't you?" said Aqua Lilliota, her words laced with the _hate_. "You think that just because you saved another team's life and got to fight for your lives in front of the entire class and live extraordinarily exciting lives that you're better than us?"

"Um, we don't think that," Ruby responded awkwardly.

"Oh, so now you think you're cute, also?" Aqua scoffed. "Well, you _are_ cute! Unnaturally cute, even! But guess what? _I'm cuter_ than you could ever hope to be!"

Ruby stared blankly ahead. "Uh… okay." She turned nervously to her teammates behind her, who all had the same confused expression that she did. "So, do any of you know what this is about, or…"

"No clue," said Yang with a shrug. "I don't even know that lady."

"I think we used to be on Team Three with her," Blake said, her usually strong memory failing her. "I can't imagine why she'd be pissed at us though. I'm pretty sure she didn't even say anything to us while we were teammates."

"Yeah, they were pretty one-dimensional," Yang noted. "Who knows where this is coming from?"

"Maybe we shouldn't have agreed to this," Blake sighed. While the sisters nodded in agreement, Weiss shook her head furiously.

"Where are your spines?" asked the heiress. "Are you seriously going to allow these people to insult your honor like this? We have to prove that we're better than them."

"We _are_ better than them," Blake reminded her. "You can tell by the fact that we're us, and they are them. No one needs to do this stupid fight with a bunch of forgettable, unoriginal idiots."

"Hey! We can still hear you!" Aqua shouted suddenly from across the room.

Blake rolled her eyes. "I know, and I don't care!"

"You'll care when I put my boot up your ass, you two-faced emo bitch!" Aqua screamed back.

"I… what did you call me?" Blake asked, stunned.

"You heard me, slut!" Aqua responded, stamping her foot. "Seriously, step out of the shadows every once in a while, and get some goddamn sun. You're paler than the Schnee, and she's whiter than two rabbits fucking in a snowstorm!"

Weiss crossed her arms, sneering. "You don't have to get personal."

"My fist is personal," Aqua retorted, clenching said fist. She gestured towards Yang. "And _you_. Put some damn pants on. It's almost winter, and you're parading out here in fucking short shorts! That's a great way to get hypothermia. What kind of message are you sending to the kids? And holy fuck, put yourself together better. I can see your thong from all the way back here!"

"But, I'm… not wearing a thong," Yang said, confused.

"Well then, that really says volumes about your inhumanly _giant_ ass!" Aqua screeched. Yang's eyes narrowed, turning bright red as she muttered to Ruby.

"Okay, Weiss is right. We're taking this bitch down."

A buzz came over the room, and all at once, the teams' seemingly endless back-and-forth shouting contest was brought to a halt as Goodwitch's voice surrounded them.

"All right, everyone. It's time to begin," she said calmly and authoritatively. "One round. Full usage of your powers is allowed. Step out of bounds or get incapacitated, and you'll be eliminated. Eliminate all members of the enemy team to win. And please, don't kill each other. Understood?"

"Crystal clear," Aqua said with an evil smile. Ruby gulped, glancing nervously at the skybox.

"I mean… I guess."

"Then we will begin," announced Goodwitch. "Team Ten, declare yourselves."

Ruby cleared her throat. "Team RWBY: Go…" She stopped herself before she could say anything further. It was no secret she did not like to swear, but something felt especially wrong about saying something so vulgar to people she barely knew. Yang, on the other hand, did not find it wrong, and forcefully pushed Ruby out of the way from behind she could flip off the other team from as close as possible.

"Go Fuck Yourselves!"

Goodwitch groaned audibly into the microphone but kept a level head despite the immaturity of her students. "Team Five, declare yourselves."

Aqua stepped forward, gripping her spear at its end and directing its tip towards the women she despised more than life itself. "Team ATMC: Fuck Team RWBY!"

"Let the challenge commence," Goodwitch stated, and just like that, it began. Yang nearly lunged immediately, but Ruby was quick to stick her scythe out in front of her and hold her back. She wasn't in the mood to repeat the mistakes of old, not against a team like ATMC. They had beaten CRDL in two minutes, so it shouldn't have been a problem to take out a team ranked so much lower than they were. Their weapons didn't appear to be anything special, so as long as her plan was able to counteract their Semblances, and her own teammates would keep control of their own emotions, she likely wouldn't have much of a problem. So, her plan was simple. First, they would…

Wait, what were their Semblances again?

"Cyrus, go!" Aqua commanded, and before RWBY had any time to react or even think about what to do first, the sickly-looking boy jumped to the front of the pack and inhaled deeply before violently spitting out a putrid, yellow ball of smoke. It traveled like a bullet and struck the ground in front of them, and upon impact it exploded into a thick cloud of gas, consuming the girls in smoke so thick that it became almost impossible to breathe. It was the most revolting substance any of them had ever experienced, lining up their throats and leaving a burning, acidic taste in their mouths. As the girls were distracted, Tia pressed his paintbrush against a red patch of Dust on is Palette, and with a dramatic cry, he flicked the brush in the air, carving out a straight, vertical line of fire in the sky. The flames launched forward, and the girls recovered their senses enough to jump out of the gas before the fire connected, though, in their haste, they flew in opposite directions: Blake and Ruby jumping to their right, Yang and Weiss to their left. The instant the flames connected, the entire ball of smoke ignited, and they felt the intense heat on their backs as they still struggled to clear the toxic gas from their lungs. Team ATMC did not let up, and within seconds Cyrus launched another ball of smoke, and another, and another down the same straight path as the first, and each one was lit up by Tia accordingly. Then, Cyrus turned behind him, and quick as could be, repeated the trail of smoke in the other direction, even as no enemies stood in his way. Ruby was still choking as Cyrus turned to her and launched another toxic attack, but just before it struck her Blake grabbed onto her arm and threw her away to another side of the arena as the ball of smoke ignited between them. Ruby stumbled but recovered, and eventually regained her balance and her sanity as she looked around at the battlefield around her, and what she saw horrified her. If she could have seen Aqua's face, she would have seen the smile of someone whose evil plan worked perfectly.

ATMC had studied RWBY's match with CRDL closely during their preparations. Aqua thanked her lucky stars that Beacon kept a library of tapes full of footage from previous team battles, though it wasn't so much the school on her side as much as it was destiny. She wasn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination. RWBY demolished a team far superior to them in minutes, but she realized in her efforts that RWBY's victory was determined by three specific advantages: freedom of movement, aggressive attack patterns, and team cohesion. With their speed and power, they would have overwhelmed ATMC in seconds, and once they picked up speed, Aqua knew it would be impossible to stop them. However, she was far cleverer than those idiots on Team Ten, and she glanced behind her at the rising wall of fire nipping at her back, she grinned madly. Cyrus's toxic gas wasn't just flammable, but also lasting, and as she looked around at her masterwork, the taste of success began to creep into her mouth. She knew that Team RWBY would underestimate them (those bitches), and a surprise opening attack would be enough to catch them off-guard, and hopefully, tear them apart. The plan worked wonders, and with quick teamwork, the boyfriends created their magnum opus of destruction: a massive cross of fire twenty feet high, impossible to jump over even with all the Aura in the world, carving the arena into four equal quadrants, in which each of the members of Team RWBY stood alone against a member of ATMC that countered their strengths: Cyrus against Ruby, Mattis against Yang, Tia against Blake, and Aqua herself against a very nervous looking Weiss Schnee. As the heiress realized the situation surrounding her, a look of panic came across her, the same look of panic the rest of her teammates shared. The raging flames cut off most of their room to maneuver, and they were so loud that it was impossible to communicate between them. In a matter of seconds, Team ATMC had cut-off their three biggest strengths, and Aqua licked her lips in delight.

Her totally awesome revenge was at hand.

"Come on, you pasty-ass whore!" Aqua shouted antagonistically. "I'd tell you to prove that you're better than me, but I know that's literally impossible!" Weiss refocused her efforts, letting her training take over her. She couldn't let the insults get to her, but Aqua did not need them to. All Aqua needed was for Weiss's common sense to take over. She was surrounded by fire, and instinctively, Aqua knew Weiss would want to use ice to counter it. Like clockwork, the princess did what was expected, summoning a giant block of ice in front of her and launching it towards Aqua. She suspected that it would be hard for Aqua to dodge the attack, having backed herself into a corner in the flames. What she did not expect was for Aqua to simply hold out her hand and stop the ice dead in its tracks, and then with a smirk, flick her wrist and break the ice block into dozens of frozen, spiky shards. Aqua thrust her wrist forward, and Weiss had to quickly summon a glyph in front of her as the shards pelted her, sticking into her makeshift shield and shattering at her feet.

"Hey!" Weiss protested under the barrage. "I thought this was supposed to be a nonlethal battle?"

"I will paint the walls red with your blood!" Aqua declared with a laugh, continuing to pummel Weiss with a seemingly endless assault of ice.

On the other side of the fire, Yang found herself on the offensive. The boy across from her looked like he couldn't lift a pillow, let alone withstand any hits. And maybe it was something to do with her still being mad at the insults about her butt, but she was _really_ in the mood to hit something as hard as she could. The poor boy looked like he had no idea what was about to hit him as Yang burst towards him, pulling back her arm to blast him into the stratosphere. He did not even attempt to raise his paltry Morningstar in defense as she drew closer, and he didn't move as her fist approached his face. Until, of course, he did. But not his body; like a rubber band, his head and neck sprang to the side, and Yang went sailing past him, nearly tripping as her fist collided with nothing. By the time she stopped herself, he was behind her, and within seconds he expanded into a long mass of stretchy limbs that snaked around her limbs. His flesh wrapped tightly around her and he pulled himself back together, twisting her arms and legs to the point where she could no longer support herself, and she fell onto her back. His hand clasped over her mouth, and she screamed into his hand as she realized she could not move. One arm was stuck behind her head, another behind her back, and both of her legs were being bent in opposite directions away from her. She was tangled fully in the coil of Mattis, unable to find the leverage or position to utilize her strength, and Mattis's head snaked beside her, wobbling on its skinny elastic neck.

"You're not going anywhere, so don't bother resisting me," Mattis said sinisterly. However, after a moment, he stammered, "Okay, I understand that sounded _super_ creepy considering I'm grabbing you without your consent right now, which is really inappropriate, but I hope you understand—"

"Mmm gomma kimm ymm, ymm pmmm om sshmm!" Yang screamed violently into his palm.

"Okay, _that's_ a bit unnecessary."

While Yang was struggling against her own limbs, Blake was dealing with a completely different kind of threat. She flipped through the air, barely dodging a wave of ice that sailed at her feet. She only just managed to land before she had to dodge another, and then another after that. Tia was relentless, constantly dipping his brush into the pools of Dust on his palette and using them to their full potential. She had never faced a weapon like it before; any pattern he drew in the air, the Dust would mimic, and a few flicks of his wrist could overwhelm her in seconds. She didn't even have time to think of a method of attack as the battlefield grew increasingly more cluttered with waves of the elements rushing towards her at every conceivable angle. There was no time to think about anything other than moving as fast as possible. Worst of all, Tia didn't even appear to be slowing down. Instead, he yawned.

"You can stop dodging any time now," he told her. "I'm not going to stop. Ever."

"What. Is. Your. Problem?" Blake asked desperately, barely able to keep up with the onslaught.

"My problem is that you won't sit still," Tia explained. He grunted, and then, abandoning his artistic integrity, he flapped his wrist as fast as he could, creating a giant ball of scribbles in the air, which one-by-one, became incredibly fast waves of fire directed at Blake. She picked up the pace to match, twisting and turning herself as the flurry of flames came her way, but she knew the effort was pointless. She could only last for a few seconds in its direct path. She could have tried to escape upwards and catch her breath, but she would have been even more exposed than on the ground. She didn't even know what Tia's Semblance was, or how to counteract it, which meant the safest course of action was to trust on her ever-reliable reflexes, and hope someone would come to help her in the next few seconds.

Ruby was trying to do such a thing despite facing a similar problem. Her strength was her speed. She was effective in combat so long as she could move, but against an enemy like Cyrus, who constantly closed off the space around her with toxic smoke, she was useless. He could spit out the smoke about once per second, which did not give her any time to react. He only compounded the problem by launching a ball of smoke at his own feet, cloaking himself in poison. It made her life that much more difficult in three ways. First, she couldn't see where he was aiming, making it that much harder to dodge. Second, it eliminated her ability to get in close without choking herself. And third, she couldn't even use her sniper effectively, as not only would she not be able to see where he was, but setting up the sniper required both a second of her time and the need for her to stand still, neither of which were possible.

She needed to focus. She wasn't expecting Team ATMC to be so efficient, so crafty. It had taken her by surprise, and she hadn't been thinking clearly, but that needed to end. Maybe her team had gotten a little carried away at times. Maybe they did do some things they weren't supposed to, and some people got hurt because of them. Aqua, for all of her outrageous claims, had a reason to be mad at them. If it wasn't for them, she would have been ranked higher in their class. That was wrong, but it was just as wrong for her to lay down and die because of whatever guilt she may have felt about them. Every moment she could not come up with a plan, the arena only became filled with more toxic gas, and her time was cut even shorter. She needed to think of a plan before she became consumed by the gas. That gas that coated her lungs and made it impossible to breathe. That gas that seemed to linger in the atmosphere forever. That gas that erupted into the flames around them.

Gas that would erupt at the slightest spark.

Ruby's eyes were opened. With a gasp, she realized what she had to do, and she immediately went about doing it. She dashed hurriedly towards one of the piles of smoke that accumulated on the battlefield, and as she did, she reached up to her neck and unclipped her cape and hood, letting them fly off behind her. She quickly rolled up her sleeves as well, trying to get limit the amount of loose clothing she wore as much as she could manage before she took a deep breath and leaped onto the smoke, swinging her scythe overhead and planting its blade into the ground, landing atop its handle. The smoke quickly seeped its way into her nose, but she held steady as she reached down to the trigger on her sniper. For a moment, she hesitated. Her plan required sacrifices, and a set of memories flashed before her eyes as she remembered every laborious step of crafting the weapon that rested beneath her feet. However, she shook off the guilt. Crescent Rose would forgive her.

Someday.

With that, she pulled on the trigger, the Dust within the gun ignited, and then, the rest of the smoke did as well. The initial blast detonated her weapon, causing the blade to break completely from its neck, but it also propelled Ruby upwards, launching her over the wall of fire like a rocket. Though the ruins of her weapon were left behind in a burning wreckage, she swallowed her guilt and focused on the immediate task at hand. She sailed over Cyrus's head as he watched her in shock, and she quickly redirected her attention to where she planned to land: in the quadrant opposite of her, where her sister was on the ground, tied up in a stretchy pile of limbs. Ruby gritted her teeth, and the instant her target was beneath her, her arc halted, and she fired herself down the wall of fire in a spectacularly violent burst of red. Yang glanced up in time to see her sister plummeting rapidly to the earth, and she reacted with haste. Straining her neck as hard as she could, she moved her mouth a centimeter to the left, just enough to chomp down on Mattis's fingers, causing him to yell out in pain. The bite distracted him for a second, and it was all the time she needed to give out one final cry, and with all the energy she could muster, she flipped herself onto her stomach, leaving Mattis's solid back exposed to the attack from the above. Sensing opportunity, Ruby pushed herself faster and pulled out her fist, and shouted out the first attack name that came to her mind.

" _Ultimate Workout Elbow Drop!"_

Ruby crashed to the ground hard, all of her weight landing directly onto the poor, stretchy boy. His limbs came lose upon impact, shooting out in all directions like bursting out of a toothpaste tube. He fell unconscious at once, drooling onto the hard floor, and Ruby helped her sister to her feet, shrugging off the impact like it was nothing.

"Mattis brown has been eliminated."

Yang brushed herself off, letting the energy from the impact recharge her. "Nice move, sis."

"It's not over yet," Ruby said hastily. "Can you _Fastball Special_ me over this wall?"

"Hell yeah," said Yang. The girls worked in synch, Yang widening her stance and Ruby jogging back a few feet to get a running start. Then, at Ruby's command, Yang cupped her hands together to form a steady base, and Ruby dash towards her, jumping into her arms before Yang let out a cry and sent Ruby flying again into the air. With Yang's assistance, Ruby cleared the wall effortlessly and quickly called out to her new target: a struggling and desperate Blake, who looked at Ruby just as the girl crossed into view and instantly realized what needed to be done. She found half a second to find her footing before throwing out her grappling hook as far as it could go, her change in strategy enough to momentarily distract Tia from his assault. The hook flew higher, and Ruby was barely able to snag it by her fingertips as she crossed into the new quadrant. Blake immediately pulled hard, and Ruby allowed herself to be carried, swung around the walls, scraping against the ground with the heels on her boots and teasing the outside of the arena. With one final tug, Blake pulled on Ruby sharply, and the young leader pulled up her feet as she was thrown directly into the path of Tia, whose immediate instinct was to throw up his arm and scream as the small, angry red him was thrown at him. She connected feet first, and he went flying, sailing directly through the flames and colliding with Cyrus on the other side, who was completely unaware of what was happening until his boyfriend smacked heads with him, knocking them both out.

"Cyrus Cedarman and Tia Arancia have been eliminated."

As all of this was happening, of course, Aqua was still shouting about her impending victory. She wasn't able to hear any of the commotions over the roar of the fire, and she was so distracted by her playing with Weiss that she wouldn't have cared anyway. She was having too much fun attacking the Schnee with ice spears and water geysers, and she cackled so maniacally while doing so that she almost didn't want the battle to end.

"I can do this all day!" Aqua taunted her. "When are you actually going to put up a fight? Oh, that's right. _Never_! Never ever ever never ever never never ever!"

"Seriously, are you actually feeling okay?" Weiss asked, mostly out of concern for herself, but also out of an increasingly growing worry about Aqua's own sanity. The blue-streaked girl responded by withdrawing all the water from the battlefield and circling it around herself, creating a thick ring from which she could draw power.

"I'll feel better once you girls are crushed," Aqua stated. "You think you can just push the rest of us to the side and act like we don't exist. You think we're worthless. Well, we're not! We are Team ATMC, the best team in this entire damn school, and once we beat you, they'll be writing songs about us for centuries to come!"

"You won't… wait, what?" asked Weiss, taken aback. "Who will be writing songs about you?"

"Oh, who fucking cares anymore?" Aqua groaned. She spun the water faster and faster around herself, gradually flattening and freezing it until it formed a razor-thin disk, and she prepared to charge at the heiress. She was sure that Ozpin would probably call the fight in her favor before she ever cut Weiss in half, and if he didn't, it would be a mistake she could learn to live with. At that point, she didn't really prefer one or the other. The _hate_ had so much power over her that she would stop at nothing to get her revenge, to prove her naysayers wrong, to prove she belonged at Beacon, to prove that she was worthy of her mother's affection, and there was that thought again about her parents, what was that doing there? It didn't matter. Hate. Hate. Hate. "Any last words, you second-rate Huntress wannabe?"

Weiss's eyes flicked upwards. "Uh, yeah… you might want to reconsider guarding your head."

"That's a really weird thing to say as your last—"

Without warning, Yang smashed into Aqua from above, hitting her like a semi truck, her fist connecting square with the back of the head. The vengeful leader was crushed into the ground below, denting the stone floor. She moaned almost inaudibly, her entire body aching as Yang slowly removed her fist from the back of her head.

"And don't you _ever_ make fun of my butt again," Yang sneered. Aqua simply groaned in response.

"Team Ten wins," Goodwitch announced over the speakers, and with that, a set of sprinklers was triggered above the arena, dousing the fire and the girls, who held up their arms for cover. The wall of flames was flushed away, and after a minute, the girls were finally reunited, and could actively look around at each other's handiwork. The boys were lying in unconscious heaps on the floor, but their injuries weren't too severe. They were decent enough boys, and the girls felt bad that their issues had to come to blows, but they were confident the boys would make a full recovery soon, and continue on the track to becoming successful Huntsmen. Aqua, for what it was worth, would also probably be successful—she just had to deal with some anger issues. As she groaned into the stone floor, Ruby hoped that she would one day consider her actions, and maybe even the four members of Team ATMC would become their friends.

Of course, it was equally likely she would never see, hear, or think about Team ATMC ever again, but such was life.

"Oh, shit. Ruby… your weapon," Yang said somberly, having caught a glimpse of the ruins of Crescent Rose.

"Right. That," Ruby said awkwardly, walking slowly towards its remains. She knelt down beside it, gradually tracing her fingers over its burnt exterior. The handle had been snapped into multiple pieces, and the firing mechanism was practically disintegrated. On top of all the that, the blade itself was also disconnected, chipped and bent out of shape. Her first weapon, her baby: destroyed to save her team.

"Are you going to be okay?" Yang asked worriedly. "I know how hard you worked to make that."

"I'm fine," Ruby said honestly. "Crescent Rose made a sacrifice for us. When your team is in trouble, you have to do whatever it takes to save them. Sometimes, that means giving up what you care about the most. It sucks, but… I guess that what being a Huntress is all about." She paused momentarily. "Also, I'm pretty sure there's an entire office dedicated to repairing our weapons when they break, so this shouldn't be much of a setback." She turned towards the skybox and called out to it. "Right, Professor Goodwitch? How long will it take to repair Crescent Rose?"

"With that damage?" Goodwitch said guessingly. "I don't know. Maybe… eight hours?"

"Okay," Ruby said with a shrug, hopping back to her feet. "That's actually good because I have _so much_ laundry I need to do."


	35. Play Me Another Song

**Note: Surprise back-to-back chapter uploads! It's time to begin the fourth major arc of our big RWBY Volume I rewrite. On the first day, we decided to begin writing this long project, this was actually the very first arc we planned out all the way through, so we've actually been looking forward to getting to this point for a while. This is also, weirdly, both the arc we've been most _and_ least looking forward to sharing with you because of what happens. As we've said before, there's going to be a lot more interaction with other characters from the show, but you also may have noticed that the tags of this story have changed to include something else that begins to show more in this chapter. If this thing (we don't know why we're being vague, it's super obvious) is something that concerns you, just be aware that we know about the problems, and no, this is not going to become one those stories. You should know by now that we don't do anything simple, so be prepared. Enjoy. Please.**

* * *

" _You're pathetic."_

 _Yang stared lifelessly at the instrument before her. She couldn't remember why they asked her to play the piano. She had never been particularly good at piano, despite all of the hours her father forced her to spend practicing when would rather be anywhere else. That did not stop hundreds of eager, wealthy patrons from filing into the theater, watching her with anticipation of a spectacular performance. She knew she would have to satisfy them. Her red, satin dress was not, even though as she glanced down at herself, all of the color on the dress faded, as did the color in the room, and the color of the audience. She was alone on stage in a room of black and white, simply her and her piano, waiting for a melody to be gracefully played on its keys. Yang sighed and reached forward, her fingers gliding over the smooth keys as she searched her memory for a song._

 _She chose a sonata, and like clockwork, her fingers began to work their magic. Calming music emanated from the piano, one that she never remembered learning, but could feel clear as day in the back of her mind. The audience grew silent as she lost herself in the music, and she closed her eyes as she allowed her body to take over. The song was almost impossible to describe. It wasn't exactly sad, but there was an ever-present darkness underlying each chord. Melancholic, perhaps? Empty? Longing, even? She did not know, and she suspected she never would know. Music wasn't something that was meant to be logically defined; as a form of art, it could only be felt, existing entirely in the realm of the subjective. And the truth of the matter was, as she played that beautiful, haunting music, with the eyes of the greatest in the world on her, she felt nothing._

" _You're pathetic."_

 _The voice repeated itself and took on a form of its own. Yang opened her eyes, and in the corner of her vision, she saw herself slowly approaching the piano, wearing the same satin dress, and the same six-inch heels, with her wild hair sprawled out past her shoulders. She rested casually against the piano, leaning against its frame, and she stared judgingly at Yang with glowing red eyes, the only splash of color in the monochrome world._

" _Do you honestly think anyone is going to be impressed by this?"_

 _Yang kept her gaze focused on the piano. "You know you aren't supposed to talk during a performance."_

" _Do you think anyone cares?" asked herself. "Did you even realize that you've been routinely playing that E natural as an E flat? These people don't care about what you're actually doing."_

 _The words rang true, but Yang continued playing all the same. She closed her eyes, but the music didn't feel right. She had changed songs without realizing it. The tempo had quickened, and she suddenly found herself playing in a major key, with smooth, almost joyful music emanating from the strokes from her fingertips. She didn't know how, or why, but she also knew she could not stop even if she wanted to._

" _Why are you doing this?" the clone asked, rolling her eyes._

" _They asked me to play," Yang said simply._

" _But you could have said no," the duplicate reminded her. "Be honest: you're doing this for her, aren't you?"_

 _Yang said nothing. She opened her eyes again, and somehow, her sight drifted sideways towards the audience. She had been hoping all night not to see her. She didn't want the stress of knowing that she was watching. And yet, something guided her vision out to the audience, and it knew exactly which seat to divert her attention to in order to see her. There she was, in the front row, always the front row, watching her with more intent and focus than anyone else in the theater. She would have stood out even if Yang didn't know her beforehand, with that stunning black dress and her matching swath of hair, and that adorable bow on top of her head, and her piercing yellow eyes that stayed with her even after the girl turned away. Yang tried to look back to her piano, but she was already transfixed, and the girl in the audience took notice as their eyes locked, but she did not move or acknowledge her; she merely watched, carefully taking in every sound with a blank yet careful expression._

" _Stop staring. You know this isn't going to impress her," the duplicate scolded her._

" _There's always another song," Yang said trustingly, her eyes still locked with the girl in the audience._

" _You don't get it," moaned herself. "It doesn't matter what the damn song is. It doesn't matter what you play, because she doesn't care about any of that. It's you that's the problem. You could play her favorite song a hundred times, but as long as you are the one playing it, she'll always find a way to hate it."_

" _You don't know that," Yang said dejectedly._

" _Of course I know it. We both know it," stated herself. "So why the hell are you still playing?"_

 _Yang's finger slipped, and a harsh, bitter sound screeched out of the piano. "I have my reasons."_

" _Yeah, you have two reasons," the clone said knowingly, "and both of them look really nice in that dress of hers."_

 _Another slip of the finger. Another wrong chord. "Don't talk like that."_

" _Why not? Maybe she'd like it if we were actually being honest with ourselves. In fact, since you can't get the job done, why don't you let me give it a try." The clone reached down to the piano and began randomly striking keys at different intervals. The piano screamed with each press of her fingers, causing the clone to look out encouragingly at the audience. "See, she likes this way better. Much more exciting, don't you agree?"_

 _Yang's hands trembled against the keys. Her clone's playing became increasingly erratic, and though she tried to play through it, the sour notes quickly overpowered her song. The girl in the audience watched the commotion onstage with disinterest, and quietly stood up to leave the theater. Yang watched her go, and for the first time that night, she felt something._

" _Stop it," Yang said forcefully. "Why are you acting like this?"_

 _Suddenly, the clone grabbed the underside of the piano, and with a furious cry, threw the instrument against the back wall of the stage like it was made of nothing. It shattered up impact, exploding into a million wooden fragments with one last random, violent musical chord, and the clone jumped in front of Yang, grabbing her by her legs and leaning in close, her eyes like blood._

" _Why do you even care? None of this is real!" The duplicate pointed towards the audience, snarling like a wild animal. "They aren't real. This building isn't real. That girl you think is out there isn't real. So, when are you going to stop lying to yourself and wake up, dammit?"_

"Hey, wake up, dammit."

Yang opened her eyes. The theater was gone. She was on the terrace near the top of Beacon Academy, her back against the castle wall, the wind whipping through her hair, the sun pounding down against her skin. Only a few feet in front of her, Blake sat on the edge of the stone staring at her, annoyed past reason, a stack of textbooks to her left, a tuna salad sandwich to her right.

"You there, Yang?" Blake groaned.

"Uh, yeah," Yang said, clearing her throat. "I just… blanked out for a second."

"Can you maybe not?" asked Blake. "I mean, I know this shit is boring, but you can at least pay attention."

"Sorry," Yang said quickly. "I was just thinking about something."

"Well, that something better be the Kings of Vale because that's what we have a test on in a week," Blake reminded her.

"Right," Yang nodded, crossing her arms. "Which one were we talking about specifically? King… Augustus Dominion, right?"

"We would be if that was a real person," Blake stated, drawing her knees onto the platform to get a more comfortable position as she talked to the blonde behind her. "Are you okay? You look distracted."

"No, I'm fine," Yang said dismissively, but her teammate saw right through her.

"That sounds like bullshit, so I'm going to assume it's bullshit," Blake said with certainty. "Look, I can't tutor you if you aren't going to pay attention, so you might as well tell me what's going on."

Yang looked off into the Emerald Forest, her gaze getting lost among the dark green trees. "I'd really rather not."

"Is it something to do with that fight from a few days ago?" Blake guessed.

"No, it's not—"

"Are you hungry? Are you having womanly problems?"

"No, and definitely no."

"Are you sure?"

"It's not any of that," Yang insisted. Blake groaned, closing the textbook in her lap, and reaching over to grab a bite of her lunch. If their studying was going to be ground to a halt, she figured she might as well have caught up on her meal while she had the chance.

"Well, spit it out already. Good lord, you're annoying."

"Fine," Yang said, disgruntled in her defeat. "I was busy wondering if you actually happened to, you know… like me?"

Blake took an ungraceful bite of her sandwich and raised her brow as she chewed and answered with her mouth full. "You mean… as a concept?"

"As a friend," Yang specified. "I was wondering if you considered me to be your friend."

Blake swallowed, shaking her head unenthusiastically. "I'm pretty sure we've already established that I don't do friends."

"I know," Yang said, frustrated, "but I mean, if you _were_ to have any friends—if you changed the definition or whatever—would you like to have me as one of them?"

Blake pursed her lips, unimpressed. "Yang, I think you really need to reconsider this whole 'friends' business."

"Ugh!" Yang growled, clawing at her messy clumps of hair. "You are so difficult, you know that? Why can't you just give me a straight answer?"

"Why do you care so much about this particular topic?" Blake asked, uninterestedly. "Who cares if we're friends or not. We're teammates, and we're study partners, and we do both of those things pretty well as far as I'm considered. What does it matter if we throw any specific label onto it?"

"Because that's the kind of person I am," Yang explained. "Ruby took all of the logical genes from our parents, I took the emotional ones. I thrive off forming meaningful connections to people, whether I love them or hate them. I need to get that connection in order to really feel something. It's how I'm hardwired. But, for you, it's impossible to get _anything_ meaningful because you literally don't care about anything, and that drives me crazy."

"I care about plenty of shit," Blake said defensively, though her tone remained calm and unchallenging. "I care about the environment, and protecting others, and making sure this team is the best it can be. Just because I don't wear it on my sleeve like you doesn't mean it's not there."

"You didn't seem to care when Zelina's house got destroyed," Yang countered. Blake dropped her sandwich, her lips drawing back into a scowl.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You know what it means," Yang said defiantly. "That poor woman got her house destroyed and lost everything she had to those Droog bastards, and did you even react? Nope. You just sulked against a tree like your usual boring Blake self."

"Me not throwing a hissy fit like you is not equivalent to me not caring," Blake said sternly. "Getting emotional in that situation wouldn't have helped anyone. It's something you learn from the experience that you've never had."

"Now _that_ is bullshit," Yang protested. "You know what _my_ experience was? When someone wronged you, you didn't sit around and complain about it happening. You went out there and made them regret wronging you in the first place. I've beaten up gangs of dudes twice the size of me for screwing me over. I can't tell you how many times my dad told me not to, but I always made sure that the people who deserved it got what was coming to them. You act like you're the only one who's dealt with how shitty the world is, but you need to understand that I'm not as sheltered as you think I am."

"I never called you sheltered."

"You act like it," claimed Yang. "I mean, are you honestly going to sit there and tell me that you don't think you know more than I do? Or that I'm not ready for the real world?"

Blake did not respond immediately. She took her time carefully formulating her response, which only made Yang that much more irritated. "I think you're more ready than the others are. I like Ruby, and honestly, I'm glad that she's able to keep her head up through difficult circumstances, but I'd be lying to myself if I said this job is going to be easy for her. If just hearing about Zelina's background brought her to tears, she's going to have a hard time when something _really_ terrible happens right in front of her. She's getting there, but it'll take a few years before she's fully prepared for this. And as for Weiss, well… the less said about her the better."

"But let me guess," said Yang disappointedly. "You think I'm too immature and hotheaded to be a Huntress, and I'm going to end up getting myself killed because I rush into dangerous situations without thinking. Dad's been telling me that for years."

"Your dad is smart," Blake noted, "but… there's also this toughness about you that counteracts that. You can afford to be hotheaded and impatient because you know that you can pretty much overpower anyone that gets in your way. There's this confidence about everything you do that's really remarkable, and it never gets to be too much because you can almost always it up with your actions. You're legitimately one of the strongest people I've ever met, and you're probably one of the few students here that actually deserves to become a Huntress."

Yang's heart fluttered. She wasn't expecting to hear something so strangely nice from Blake, and it was enough to soothe any of the frustrations that had been building within her. Even Blake herself seemed to realize how bizarrely out of character her own comments were and quickly sought to alleviate the horrible feeling of being a good person by taking another bite of her tuna salad sandwich. It was such a quirky sight that Yang almost had to restrict the urge to laugh. It was moments such as those that made her so fascinated by the girl with the bow, those small instances where the façade of bitterness and snark faded away and revealed a genuinely caring individual beneath. It made her want to peel back those layers further, to explore what else lied underneath her skin; a romantic bookworm, a healer, a connoisseur of fine piano music. Blake, on her part, seemed to notice Yang staring warmly at her, and offered the only relief from the awkwardness she could think of, extending out her sandwich to her teammate.

"Want a bite?"

"Oh, uh," Yang stammered, snapping back to reality, "no thank you."

"Okay, then," Blake said with a shrug.

"So, as I was saying," Yang explained hastily, "I was kind of annoyed at you because I thought you were being apathetic in front of Zelina. I was really angry at those Droogs for what they did, but I understand that you just process things differently than I do. I shouldn't get so mad at you next time."

"Right," Blake said softly. The girls returned to silence, and Yang fell back harder against the stone wall. The sun had only grown hotter since their conversation started, and she could feel its heat beginning to take a toll on her. She should have brought water or a lemonade up with her if they were going to be out there for so long. She considered going back to studying for their history exam, but Blake seemed out of it by that point and she didn't want to raise the topic. Perhaps it was a case of taking things too far; their relationship seemed to be the best when they were trading barbs with each, keeping things jovial but mostly impersonal. Perhaps she scared Blake off by playing a song she had no interest in hearing. She expected Blake to chastise her and hit her with some snarky remark about how she barely understood anything or something of the sort. However, when Blake finally spoke up, she said something that caught Yang completely off-guard. "Do you want to do something about it?"

Yang hesitated. "What?"

"The Droogs. Do you want to do something about them?" Blake asked more clearly. She rose her feet, standing with her heels on the edge of the platform. Yang was looking for the sarcasm in her voice or any indication that she was being dismissive, but from what she saw, Blake was being one hundred percent serious.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you and me getting revenge," Blake stated calmly. "We leave tonight, just the two of us, and hunt down those bastards that destroyed Zelina's home. We don't have to tell the others; we're strong enough to do it all by ourselves."

"That's… that's ridiculous," Yang said doubtingly. "We can't go out hunting down bad guys _for real_. That's serious Huntress business."

"You were the one who said that you're supposed to make those who wrong you regret it," Blake said questioningly.

"Yeah, but this is different," said Yang. "I mean, we have a test to study for, and—"

"It's a weekend. It won't even take us that long to do it."

"What are you talking about? We'd have to search all of Vale to find them."

"No, we won't," Blake said knowledgeably. "The Droogs have been centralized in the City of Vale for as long as I can remember. If those thugs retreated anywhere, it'd likely be right outside our doorstep. With the right leads, we could find them in within a day. I even know where to start."

Yang was floored. It had to be part of some long, elaborate prank on Blake's part, except for the fact that she knew Blake didn't do pranks, and if there was one person that probably knew every corner of Vale's criminal underworld, she suspected it would be her teammate. And it was not as if they did not literally just go doing something they weren't supposed to when they went to Brooksbarrow, and as she herself admitted minutes before, she had dealt with other gangs before. But fighting Droogs in the middle of their home turf? That was completely different. The level of risk was drastically higher. It was no longer taking on a few thugs; it was combating a massive criminal organization that had a habit of making the people who crossed the disappear. They were only two kids. It would be suicide.

" _Or it would it be?"_

The voice whispered loudly in the back of her mind. Could they do it? They weren't really fighting all of the Droogs. It would be Jayah and his five goons, and she already knew she could take them out easily. Blake knew what she was doing, maybe even having done it in her life before she decided to become a Huntress. The two of them together were crafty, and if they were smart, they could get in, do the job and get out before anyone ever knew about them. They could hide their identities, and even if they were found out, so what? They were students at Beacon Academy, one of the most secure facilities in the entire world. Every second she thought about it, it seemed more and more plausible; not necessarily wise, but plausible. She could avenge Zelina's suffering. She could make sure that those thugs never hurt anyone else ever again. With the voice growing louder her mind, maybe plausible was enough.

"Do you really think we can do it?" Yang asked hopefully. Blake walked over to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"The two of us?" Blake said with a smirk. "We're badasses. We can do anything."

The voice was right. Yang knew Blake had her secrets, but she always saw her as reserved, refined, cautious to a fault. She never thought Blake would be one to risk her life for something so personal. But as she looked into Blake's yellow eyes, she saw the same desire that she felt within herself. Blake _wanted_ to fight. She _craved_ it. The song of violence and revenge was playing loudly within her, and she wanted more. Yang knew deep down that she shouldn't have agreed to the plan. She shouldn't have endangered both of their futures for something so petty. What would Ruby think, or her dad? What is something happened to her and she wouldn't be able to be there for them anymore? What if they failed?

But that smile. Those eyes. How could Yang say no to that?

* * *

Yang and Blake left at sundown on Friday. They had talked extensively about how to avoid their teammates, but when the time came to leave, Ruby and Weiss were nowhere to be found. Not willing to wait around for trouble, they gathered their weapons and belongings and quickly left for the City for Vale to seek out their revenge. If they had stayed in their room for just a moment longer, they may have seen the note that was left for them on Ruby's bed. If they had seen it, they would have seen Ruby's apology for disappearing so suddenly, and a promise that she and Weiss would return by classes on Monday.

But that was another story.


	36. Field Trip

**Note: They said it couldn't be done, but here we are: back-to-back-to-back chapters! This was originally supposed to be the second half of the previous chapter, but that was getting too long so we decided to break it up into two halves. We don't know what has been inspiring us to write so quickly, but we are so incredibly happy to see everyone following along, and all of the engagement we've gotten with you has made this completely worth it. You guys are our energy, and we can't say thank you enough. Keep at it, friends!**

 **Also, an important announcement. As we've said before, we are around halfway through our retelling of RWBY Volume I. However, we know we've gotten requests in the pasts, and for the first time since this story has begun, we have begun to consider expanding this story into Volume II and beyond. Granted, that would be a _long_ way off, and it would depend on a whole bunch of factors. We've dealt with sequel burnout before, and if we did, we would likely just continue one long story instead of splitting it into a sequel. But most importantly, this all depends on if there is an audience for it and if you are willing to read it. We have some developmental ideas, but if that is something you would be interested, now would be the time to tell (and TELL US LOUD) so that we have time to work out all the details.**

 **Anyway, as we left off, a lot of you had guesses about what was going to happen to Ruby and Weiss, and sad to say, but no one quite predicted what would come next. Hopefully, you'll enjoy what we have in store. Without any further delay, enjoy.**

* * *

Ruby twiddled her thumbs, sitting on the edge of her bed, staring anxiously at the door to their bedroom. The time was just past noon. The day of the week: Friday. It was one of the very few times of the week she could reliably find herself alone in her dorm, though she knew it would not last long. Blake and Yang usually took that time to eat lunch and study together. Where did they go? Ruby wasn't sure. She had previously tried searching for them in the library, the dining hall, and almost everywhere else inside the castle, but she couldn't find them. She was partially concerned that they weren't actually spending their time studying—almost everyone knew what kind of chaos Yang could get up to in her spare time, and Ruby suspected Blake would only enable her. However, Yang's test scores had been increasing, so she didn't have major reasons to be concerned as of yet. At the moment, however, it was the absence of her other teammate that was causing her duress, or rather, it was her impending arrival that was the source of her trouble.

Weiss was going to hate her, which was a shame because she had just gotten over that part of their relationship. They were making such delightful progress, so the fact that Ruby knew she was about to throw all of the hard work in the garbage was quite disappointing. That did not mean that Ruby regretted what she about to do. If anything, it only made her actions more necessary. But Weiss didn't take certain actions very well, and when she didn't take something well, she had a tendency to scream and rant, and when she screamed and ranted, the odds were good that Ruby would end up in tears, and she would prefer not to cry anymore, because she had cried more times in the past few months than she had for the rest of her entire life. Ruby tried taking a deep breath to steady her nerves. _It would be worth it_ , she told herself. Weiss would understand in the end. Everything would be okay.

The door handle rustled, and Weiss Schnee entered the room. Everything would not be okay.

"Hello, Weiss," Ruby said cheerily. Too cheerily in her opinion, but Weiss did not seem to notice. The Atlasian walked over to her bed in a slump, and collapsed onto the mattress, sighing into her sheets.

"I despise math," she muttered. "Who thought it was a good idea to put electromagnetism into the Huntsmen curriculum."

"Yeah… crazy…" Ruby said, scratching the back of her neck. Weiss turned her head off the mattress to look at her teammate, her eyes narrow.

"What?"

"What?"

"What's going on?" Weiss asked, suspicious.

"Wha—nothing! Nothing's going on," Ruby said nervously. As she talked, she casually moved her hand over to her Scroll, which was discretely lying beside her hip, just out of view of Weiss. Without taking her eyes off the girl, she opened her messaging app and typed quickly, ignoring whatever obvious spelling mistakes that were bound to appear: _Tatget had arrivd._

"Nothing?" Weiss asked unbelievingly.

"Yeah, nothing. I was just thinking how crazy it is that we don't have any plans this weekend," Ruby explained.

"I mean, you make the schedule, so—"

"It's just _crazy_ ," Ruby said with forced wonder. "I mean, we don't have anything planned to do this weekend. We're totally, completely free. We can do whatever we want. Isn't that fun?"

"I… guess so," Weiss said carefully. "Is there something you want to do?"

"Pssh, nooooooo," Ruby said, dismissively waving her hand. "I have no idea what we're going to do this weekend. We could train, or we could study, or we could hang out and see a movie. Whatever. It doesn't matter."

Weiss cocked her head, pushing herself up onto her elbows, eyeing Ruby with studious intent. "Do you have to take a pill to be this stupid, or is it some kind of genetic disorder?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ruby said innocently, which only caused Weiss's stare to narrow further.

"You are ungodly terrible at hiding things from me," Weiss stated. "What's going on? Is this like that scene in that dumb film you showed me, where they played a prank on that one girl that was really mean? Are Blake and Yang going to jump out of the closet and throw paint on me, or rip my clothes off, and then you record it and laugh as I run around all embarrassed?"

"No, I would never do that." That statement was honest, though it wouldn't be honest to say that Blake and Yang never tried to convince her to do something similar.

"Then what other stupid thing is about to happen?" Weiss asked.

Ruby shrugged. "I really don't know what you are—" Suddenly, there was a loud series of knocks on the door, and Ruby sprang to her feet, hurrying to answer it. "I wonder who that could be," she asked loudly. She dramatically flung the door open, and Weiss was mildly surprised to see, of all people, the two girls of Team CFVY—Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina—posing happily in the doorway, their hands artificially waving in the air.

"Hi, Ruby," Velvet said with a giant smile. Ruby gasped.

"Wow, Velvet! Coco! What are you guys doing here?" she asked with painfully terrible fake surprise.

"Well, you know, we were just stopping by to check up on our favorite freshmen. See how you guys are doing," said Coco. Unlike Ruby, she was completely relaxed and natural, and Weiss realized that whatever bullshit she was peddling, she was very good at it. Though, admittedly, her opinion may have been swayed by the fact that she was literally _still_ wearing her very cool sunglasses.

"Yes, how are you?" Velvet said far less naturally.

"We're good," said Ruby. "Do you want to come inside and talk for a bit?"

"No, I'm afraid we really can't," said Velvet. "We just wanted to say goodbye before we headed out."

"Head out?" Ruby asked curiously. "Where are you two going?" Weiss's gaze bounced among the three of them, and as her suspicions grew, so did her worries.

"Well, I'm sure you know that I'm very big into Faunus activism," Velvet explained, for once sounding genuine in her delivery. She pointed to the pair of fake bunny ears on her head. "One of the things that I really like to do is charity work, so I spend a lot of time looking around for volunteer work. A few days ago, I discovered this _amazing_ opportunity."

"Really? What is it?" Ruby asked inquisitively, leaning forward to demonstrate as clearly as possible that she was inquisitive.

"It's this Faunus shelter located just on the edge of the City of Vale," said Velvet. "You probably know that the city has a very bad Faunus homeless problem, and this shelter does a lot to help them when they're in need. It also provides food and clothes, and they're having a program where you can stay over for the weekend and help out all day and night. It's a really incredible experience that I wish more people would get involved in."

"Wow, that's great, Velvet," Ruby said enthusiastically. "It does sound incredible to be involved in something like that."

"Yeah, but," said Coco, shaking her head, "we're probably going to end up disappointing them."

"Why's that?"

"See, you have to register with them before you show up, and Velvet actually registered all of CFVY as a team," Coco told her glumly. "Unfortunately, Yosh and Fox are feeling pretty under the weather. I'm personally immune to the sniffles, so I'm all good to go, but unfortunately, that means we're going to be two men down at the shelter."

"Yes, and that's very unfortunate because they need all the help they can get," Velvet continued.

"Yeah, that's terrible," said Ruby. But then, her eyes went wide, and she gasped excitedly. "Hey, wait a second… Weiss and I were just talking about how we didn't have any plans this weekend. Right, Weiss? I know it's kind of short notice, but maybe—"

"Stop. What is this?"

Ruby froze, startled as Weiss casually rolled off the bed onto her feet. She pursed her lips, entirely unimpressed with them, and Ruby began to mentally prepare herself for the rant.

"W-What are you talking about, Weiss?" Ruby asked, poorly trying to maintain the ruse of innocence.

"First of all, you must think I'm incredibly stupid to buy any of this acting," Weiss explained. "You're worse at this than Yang is, and that's saying something. Velvet, no offense, but that goes for you too."

"I'm not…" Velvet began to protest, but she sighed, depressed. "No, yeah, you're right."

" _Velvet_ ," Ruby whispered to her through clenched teeth, but Velvet gave an embarrassed smile.

"I'm sorry. I've never been very good at lying," she admitted.

"You aren't," Weiss stated. "Coco is pretty good though."

Coco nodded, flashing a sly grin. "I grew up in a house of theatre nerds. It rubs off on you."

Ruby threw down her fist in frustration. "Both of you are _so bad_ at this."

"Ruby, what exactly are you trying to do?" Weiss asked impatiently, crossing her arms. Ruby froze. The plan—as expected—was a horrible failure, but that just meant she had to improvise. Giving up wasn't an option. For the good of her team, for the good of Weiss, she knew she had to continue, and so she took a deep breath, steadying her nerves.

"Look, Weiss, there's something we need to talk about," Ruby said calmly.

"And what exactly is that supposed to be?" Weiss asked, her frustration growing.

"It's about certain… opinions that you have that are very troubling to me," Ruby explained.

"Oh, this nonsense again?" Weiss groaned. "Ruby, I promise you that I don't have any bad feelings towards the Faunus."

"Well, you _say_ that," Ruby noted, "but I'm not really sure that you don't actually believe any of these things or understand these issues as well as you could. That's why I decided to bring Coco and Velvet along because they're really knowledgeable about these things. We want to help you get over some of your prejudices. It's a… um…"

"It's a racism intervention," Coco said in celebratory fashion.

Weiss stared at them in disbelief. "A racism intervention."

"To make you less racist," Coco said with a proud nod. "We're gonna wring all of those racist opinions right out of you. It'll be great!"

Weiss groaned, smacking her face into her palm. "I am _not_ a racist!" Weiss protested. "How many times do I have to say that? Remember Zelina, Ruby, and how much I defended her from those corrupt police officers? I'm more than willing to defend the Faunus."

"Well, yeah, but," Ruby said uncomfortably, "being nice to one woman doesn't mean that you treat the Faunus the way that you should. Besides, even outside of that one nice thing you did, you didn't exactly treat Zelina very well most of the time. You were really rude to her, and you looked disgusted to be around her, and you turned on her at the slightest provocations."

"From what Ruby told us, you have massive trust issues," Velvet explained carefully. "It seems like your base instinct when it comes to Faunus is to be very distrustful of them, and you force them to prove themselves to you when they shouldn't have to. That generally comes attached with a lot of other toxic behaviors that you might need to work on."

"Can you blame me for having trust issues?" asked Weiss. "For all of the terrible things that the Faunus have done to my family? For all of the people in this Kingdom that want to destroy my home? For _you_ , my own teammate, going behind my back to pull off this elaborate stunt?"

"Okay, so this wasn't the best way of getting you to go along with us," Ruby claimed, "but I don't think it's a stretch to say that if I did the exact same thing and I happened to be a Faunus, you would be way angrier with me than you are right now."

"You don't know that," Weiss said defensively. "I mean, you're acting ridiculously. You come out of nowhere and tell me you want to take me to a Faunus shelter this weekend? A Faunus shelter filled with people that don't know anything about basic hygiene or how to take care of themselves, and probably are the ones responsible for their own issues in the first place?"

Coco snapped. "Oh, sweet, this is an elitism intervention also."

"Not funny," Weiss snapped. "Ruby, in Atlas, we don't do handouts. We believe that if you need help, you work hard and earn your way through success, no matter what life throws at you. If you are really so desperate to prove that I'm not a racist, I'll donate a thousand dollars to a random civil rights charity or something. I can live with that. But this kind of behavior isn't something that I'm comfortable with."

"Weiss, it's not just about proving something," Ruby explained earnestly. "As Velvet said, it's about the experience. I really think that if you see these problems firsthand, you might become a better person afterward. We both will be. I know I'm not nearly perfect when it comes to the Faunus either. I barely paid any attention to the things happening to them when I was growing up, and until I met Zelina, I didn't start to have any idea about how much they needed our help. I'm not going to force you to do something you don't want to. That wouldn't be right. But I'm going to go no matter what, and I would really appreciate it if you were willing to come along with me and give it a chance. Please?"

Ruby smiled warmly, and it was enough to make Weiss give pause. One of the benefits of Ruby's terrible acting was that it also became very easy to determine when her leader was being sincere, and in Ruby's silver eyes she saw nothing but unabashed honesty. Perhaps it wasn't completely truthful of her to say that all of her problems with the Faunus had disappeared. She was a follower of Decem Luna, a faith dedicated to the practice of loyalty, honesty, and above all else, respect. No matter which of the Gods were chosen to watch over someone, they all demanded the same: that a person never be judged unfairly to another. They could be criticized for their actions, and the Gods did not call for ignorance in the eyes of misdeeds, but Weiss knew deep in her heart that she wasn't supposed to treat the Faunus differently than she would any Human. But, as Ruby was aware, and Blake was aware, and Yang was aware, and _she_ was aware, she did. She shouldn't have, and she knew it, but she did, because time and time again when she tried to put her faith in the Faunus, they betrayed her.

Or at least, that was what it always seemed like. If Zelina Zaripova taught her anything, it was that the lives of Faunus were far more difficult than she had any knowledge of. Then again, as Ruby herself admitted, Zelina was not all Faunus, and her extraordinary circumstances couldn't be the same across the entire species. But, on the other hand, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she would not really know what the average Faunus experience was like one way or the other. Maybe their problems were overblown. Maybe they were all living in luxury off the hard work of others, gladly thieving and degrading themselves to get by like the animals they were. But maybe, it was entirely possible that they were a very nice people who were born into very unfortunate lives they could never crawl their way out of. Or, maybe it was somewhere in the middle, or beyond the extremes, or anything else, because the truth was she had absolutely no idea what to expect from the species that had such a personal relationship with her family.

Weiss was racist, or she was correct. Or, she was neither. Visiting a single shelter probably would not tell her either way, but if it could do anything to ease the uncertainty and ignorance that was swirling in her mind. And if Ruby was willing to go and get her beliefs challenged, that frightened little child who cried at the slightest nudge, it would be dishonorable if she could not withstand a single night under the same circumstances. Plus, there was the way that Ruby was looking at her.

That smile. Those eyes. How could Weiss say no to that?

They were so annoying.

"How much am I going to have to interact with the Faunus there?" Weiss asked curiously.

Coco scoffed. "Jeez, I didn't know you were _that_ racist and elitist."

"It's not like that," Weiss moaned. "I want to make sure I don't do anything that could be seen as disrespectful. I don't understand Faunus culture very well, and the last time I talked to a Faunus I repeatedly brought her to tears."

"It's really not that hard," Velvet promised. "You help feed them, hand them clothes, and smile a lot. They like it when you're friendly. I like striking up conversations with them, but you don't have to talk to anyone if you don't feel comfortable speaking."

"That's probably for the best," said Coco. "You could cut the hull of an airship with that tongue."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Weiss sighed. "Fine. I'll come along with you on you're little… 'intervention' or whatever this is. What time are we going to be leaving tomorrow?"

"Oh. Tomorrow?" Velvet laughed nervously. "Actually, when I said we were going over the weekend, I actually meant that it was a _three-day_ weekend. So, we're actually heading out in about… I don't know, two hours?"

"Two hours?" Weiss shouted.

"Yeah, and don't forget, they're actually giving us a place to stay overnight," Coco said with a shrug. "Hope you're a quick packer."

"I am very much _not_ a quick packer," Weiss said sternly.

"We're going to grab our things. Oh, but before we go," Velvet said with urgency. She reached into the bag hanging around her waist, rummaging around its insides until, with a happy smile, she pulled something out and hurriedly placed it onto Weiss's head before the heiress could react. Velvet beamed happily at her work, and Weiss reached up to feel the strange addition, her hands finding two tall, soft, felt bunny ears attached to a black headband lying crookedly on her head. "We have to go get our things. See you two soon!"

Weiss opened her mouth to protest, but with a pair of peace signs, Team CFVY vanished from the entryway, and Ruby politely shut the door behind them. Weiss simply stood there, in the center of their dorm, bunny ears strapped to her head, entirely unsure of what was happening.

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

Ruby scoffed. "I'm sure it will be fine. At least I'll be there with you."

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

* * *

In the next two hours, Weiss managed to hastily assemble her belongings and anything that she might require for a sudden three-day trip across the city. Ruby herself had already packed for the occasion, and she was excited at the prospect of getting closer with Weiss and working out their problems together. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling that their weekend together would be a turning point in their relationship. As for Blake and Yang, while she felt bad about abandoning them, but she was sure that they would understand. Just for the sake of clarity, before she left, she hurriedly scribbled a note down on a sheet of paper explaining where they were going and why, and she left it on her bed. Unbeknownst to her, that note would never be read, and Blake and Yang would head out into the City of Vale shortly after them on a mission of their own, one of a far more insidious nature. Regardless of their different goals, for the girls of Team RWBY, there was one striking constant.

It was going to be a very long weekend.


	37. The Monkey King

**Note: We're back again. With our girls on their respective missions, the question is not only what they'll discover, but what familiar faces they'll find next. Enjoy.**

* * *

Yang looked up at the building with apprehension. "You sure this is the place?"

"Positive," said Blake.

Yang took a deep breath, letting herself get taken in by the city air. The nightlife of a major city was always something that called to her throughout her teenage years. There was something inherently appealing about it: the constant smell of motor oil, the bustling on the streets, the youthful antics of those who could stride about comfortably in the moonlight, the food, the partying, the danger of it all. Hanging out in a city at night was a bit like the ultimate rule-breaking, breaking into an adult world that she should not have been allowed to see, surrounded by seemingly endless possibilities that were not meant for eyes such as hers. The city was a place she could easily get lost in, and the thought of her getting consumed by it was seductive.

Of course, she could not afford to get lost that night. She and Blake had a job to do. It was why Blake brought her to the center of town, and it was the reason why they were waiting in what was possibly the longest line Yang had ever been a part of. Yang found it strange that the building itself did not look particularly special. The exterior was mostly comprised of blank stone slates stacked into a plain box, and if it wasn't for the line of people stretching beyond the block, she hardly would have guessed that it was the home to one of the most popular nightclubs in the entire city. The only other indication of its true identity was a single, neon sign hanging above the entrance; a bold, red and blue sign that read: _Junior's._

Yang groaned. "I'm just saying that if you made me wait in this line for almost two hours, and it _isn't_ the place—"

"Trust me, it's the place," Blake insisted, staring up at the sign, her arms crossed. "Unless something drastic changed in the last two months, this is the place where we'll find our guy."

"If you say so," sighed Yang. "The only other worry is if they'll actually let us in."

"Of course, they'll let us in. Why wouldn't they?"

"Well… you know how bouncers can be sometimes about what kind of girls they let into these places," Yang explained absentmindedly. Unfortunately for her, Blake was more inquisitive than most.

"What kind of girls do they not let into these clubs?" Blake asked earnestly.

"I mean, you know what their dumb standards of appearance are," Yang continued, still not fully listening to herself.

"Appearance?" Blake questioned. It was only at that moment that Yang actually bothered to pay attention to what she was saying, and even more, unfortunately, it was ten seconds too late. Yang, realizing what she just accidentally implied, opened her mouth to respond, but instead, only a string of nervous babble came out. It took a few seconds of watching Yang talk like an idiot for Blake to piece it together, but she did realize what Yang meant, she stared at her teammate with shock. "You… you don't think I'm hot enough to get into the nightclub."

"I never said that," Yang said defensively, even though she absolutely kind of said of that.

"Oh my God," Blake said blankly. "You are _actually_ saying this to me right now."

"I'm not saying that at all," Yang tried and failed to explain.

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm just meant that these bouncers have a very narrowly defined concept of beauty, that's all," Yang stated worriedly as Blake eyed her like a viper ready to pounce.

"And you're saying that I don't match it."

"Not because you aren't pretty. You're super pretty!" Yang said encouragingly. "But they aren't looking for your type of pretty. They want more of… you know…"

" _Your_ type of pretty," Blake stated. Both of them knew she wasn't lying. Yang had a particular look about her that attracted a certain type of crowd. It was a combination of the bouncy blonde hair and the very short shorts and the knee-high boots and the bright yellow tube top and jacket that barely contained what lied beneath them that drove the boys absolutely wild. Blake herself would never feel comfortable wearing something like that. Part of thriving in shadows, after all, was making sure that no one paid attention to her. She was dressed so plainly that Yang never even gave much thought to her attire. She dressed almost exclusively in black and white, and the only things of note Yang's eyes could really be drawn to were the black stockings that covered most of her legs, and of course, the black bow atop her head that, while Yang found adorable, did not scream "killer outfit," especially not to the bouncers at the entrance.

"Look," Yang tried once more to explain herself, "all I'm saying is that you could have worn something a little…"

"Sluttier."

"No. Yes. I mean," Yang stammered, "you look great. Totally awesome. You look awesome with or without those clothes on."

"Do you… maybe want to think about rephrasing that?" asked Blake. "Or…"

"Why do you even care about this?" Yang asked in surprise. "I always thought you were one of those women who thought that beauty was a bullshit social structure or something."

"I do think that," Blake stated, "but that doesn't mean you just tell someone that they're ugly and they dress terribly."

"What? I'm saying that you're hot!" Yang said defiantly. "You are _super_ hot! Like, if I was a guy and asked you out on a date and you agreed to it, I would consider myself the luckiest person in the world. You are totally rocking the whole sexy, mystery woman thing, and that's great! It's _great_."

"Okay, fine, whatever," Blake said, irritated, trying to leave the comments behind her as the line lurched forward and their meeting with the bouncer fast approached. Yang gave her a polite smile.

"Just… maybe next time you should show your tits more."

Blake, remarkably, did not end up slapping Yang in the face. How exactly she managed to restrain herself, she had no idea, but she suspected that it likely had something to do with her sense of duty taking control of her muscles before she could misuse them. She had to remind herself that they were involved in very serious business, and as the girls in front of them were let into the club and they stepped up to the massive tower of a man that served as the guard between them and their dangerous evening, she tried her best to put on a face that did not tell everyone she was annoyed as hell at the girl standing next to her.

Well, she was not really _that_ annoyed. Yang did say she was beautiful multiple times. That was nice, no matter how ultimately meaningless those types of comments were to her. Attractiveness was such an artificial standard and considering all of the stress her body had been through, Blake thought she looked just fine. But receiving compliments was such a rarity in her life that she felt a strange desire to hold onto them and cherish them while they lasted before she inevitably burned the relationship she had with the person who liked her to the ground. It wouldn't be the first time.

Ironically, despite all of their concerns, the bouncer never gave them much of a second thought. The only thing he ever seemed concerned with was their ID, which thankfully for them, matched the 17+ requirement consistent across Vale and did not need to be faked—though Yang suspected that Blake would have a plan if that need ever arose. The moment two other random girls left the nightclub, drunkenly laughing in short skirts and tall heels, the bouncer kindly gestured the two of them inside, and with a shrug of acceptance, the pair cautiously walked through the door, and pushed their way through thick black curtains to reveal the club hiding just beyond the vale.

The first thing that hit Yang was the music: loud, pulsating, so heavy on the base that she could feel the vibrations running up and down her entire body. The building was far bigger on the inside than she had anticipated, seemingly stretching on forever into the distance, although it was almost impossible for her to tell because of how packed the room was with partygoers. Every direction she looked, she saw bodies, scantily clad and writhing against each in a single, vibrant mass that moved and swayed under the heavy neon lights with each pulse of the music. The dancefloor was so packed that she could not even see it beneath the partiers, and despite only just stepping foot inside, everything blended together so that it was hard to get her bearings. It was difficult to distinguish anything else; she thought she could see the DJ off in the far back of the room, and it was possible that she saw a few women dancing in cages off to the side near groups of seated patrons, but the mass of dancers was hypnotic, and it was almost impossible for her not to get sucked in. If the city excited her for its vast freedom, then _Junior's_ was its parallel: Chaos.

"So, where do we find this guy?" Yang shouted over the music, covering one of her ears to try and focus her hearing.

"I'm not sure," Blake shouted back, scanning the area to the best of her ability. "We're probably going to have to ask around."

"Are we even sure that he's here?" Yang asked worriedly.

Blake clicked her tongue. "Hypothetically."

"Hypothetically?"

"I don't actually know that much about the guy," Blake admitted fully. "I've only heard stories about him. The guy has built quite a reputation for himself as someone know understands a lot about criminal activity around the Kingdom, but actually getting the info out of him is supposed to be kind of tricky."

"Yeah… The Monkey King, right?" Yang asked, the name slipping off her tongue. "Sounds like a real humble guy."

"But useful," Blake clarified, "and he supposedly hangs around this club a lot, so we have that going for us. Come on, I see the bar. Let's ask around and if see if any of the staff know where to find him."

The bar, glowing in a bright white aura on the far side of the club, was one of the only things standing out to Yang in the darkness, though to reach it, unfortunately, meant a trek through the sea of bodies on the dancefloor. She cracked her knuckles and quietly took Blake by the hand, holding onto her tightly as she took a deep breath and forced her way into the crowd. Immediately, she felt the weight of the bodies crashing into her, and for all strength, she could barely move more than a few feet without getting stuck behind the writhing partygoers. "Excuse me. Pardon me. Coming through. Excuse me. Just going to squeeze through here." It did not matter what she said, because no one around her could hear her. They were too busy drinking and grinding against each other, against her, flesh rubbing against flesh, man and woman alike. A gorgeous woman next to her let out a sudden cry of pleasure, and Yang felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise as a delightful shiver traced down her spine. Her heart started to race. It was like a drug just being in the presence of so much kinetic energy. Under other circumstances, she would have stayed and enjoyed the night. She would have lost herself in the rhythm, the flesh, the blood pumping ferociously through her veins if it wasn't for Blake keeping a tight grip on her, taking the lead and dragging her towards the bar, even shoving random women out of the way so she could get their job over with faster.

When they were finally free of the crowd, Yang released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in. The area around the bar was still packed, but significantly roomier than the dancefloor, and Yang finally had a moment to collect her thoughts as she and Bake quickly found two open seats at the bar. The bar itself was glass and glowed so brightly white that it illuminated Yang's face through the shadows of the rest of the clubs, and when she rested her elbows upon it, its surface turned a deep purple around the point of contact. The infinite shelves before them glowed the same white color, and Yang wondered just how much money had to be spent to keep the place looking so pristine. She had no doubt they could afford it—based on all the happy customers, running a club seemed fairly profitable—and Yang made a mental note to open an establishment like that one in case the whole Huntress thing went sideways. After a few seconds of waiting, a bartender finally came to greet them. He was a big, burly man, cute in a sort of mountaineer way with his big, bushy beard and a voice so deep that it boomed through the air despite the pulsing music surrounding them.

"What will it be, ladies?" he asked, his tone that of someone who had been through far too much drunken nonsense for a single evening.

"Info," Blake stated. "We want to know if you can help us find someone."

"Also, a strawberry sunrise, if you can help it," Yang added, staring straight ahead so she wouldn't have to see Blake glaring at her.

"Do you have ID? How old are you exactly?"

"Um… old enough?"

"Who is it that you're looking for," the bartender said with a groan, turning back to Blake.

"Some guy who calls himself The Monkey King," Blake explained. "Apparently he comes here a lot. Have you ever heard of him?"

The bartender's face turned sour. "That Faunus piece of shit? What did he do this time?"

"Nothing yet," said Blake. "We just want to talk to him about a few things."

"Yeah, right," the bartender said doubtingly. "The last time someone said that they ended up putting a shotgun blast through one of my nice couches. I don't need that kind of trouble in my bar."

"Your bar?" asked Yang in surprise. "Are you _the_ Junior?"

"Yep. The very same," he said with a proud nod. "And I don't want to see any more things get broken in my club. If you're here to shake down that Faunus for money, I'd rather you just leave now before I call security."

"We're not going to cause any trouble, we promise," Blake insisted.

"But can I ask something?" said Yang. "If he apparently attracts so much trouble, why do you even let him stay here?"

"Because I don't discriminate against cash, and the kid keeps coming up with money to pay for things," explained Junior. "Plus, I like the guy. He's got a good sense of humor."

"Well, then he's going to love me. I'm hilarious," Yang stated, nudging Blake with her elbow. "Right, Blake? Tell him how funny I am."

"She has impeccable comedic timing," Blake said with literally no expression.

"Look, if you really want to talk to him so badly, he usually hangs out in the middle lounge in the back," Junior said with a heavy sigh. "He's the one with the tight abs and a long tail; you can't miss him. But just know that I'm not going to be responsible for paying for any of the damages if something gets broken. Also, just because you want to talk to him, it doesn't mean he's going to tell you anything you want to know. He's a nice kid, but really picky when it comes to the sensitive stuff."

"Quick question: Is he gay?" Yang asked intently.

"Not that I know of."

Yang smirked. "Then don't worry," she said slyly. "I got a plan to make him talk."

"What do you mean?" Blake asked curiously before she suddenly rolled her eyes in frustration. "Holy shit, are you serious?"

"What?" Yang asked innocently.

"You're really going to try to pull the seduction card again?"

"Well, we kept talking about looks earlier, so the idea's been on my mind for a while," Yang said studiously. "Besides, it totally worked last time."

"No, it didn't," Blake protested. "The last time you did that, we could have died."

"That's only because your phone went off in the middle of the mission," Yang reminded her.

"That was your phone, dumbass," Blake chastised her.

"Eh, you say tomato, I say it was your fault," Yang brushed her off with a flip of her golden locks.

Junior politely tapped his fist against the bar to get their attention. "Girls, I have no idea what you are talking about, but if you aren't going to order anything, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the bar. Also, Blondie's probably onto something. The kid is still in the phase of his life where he'll probably fall head over heels for her."

"And what if we _both_ tried to seduce him? Do you think he'd like me also?" Blake asked accusingly, pursing her lips. Junior did not respond to the question. A few seconds passed. He still did not respond. Blake clicked her tongue in her mouth and hopped off the barstool. "You both suck."

Yang winked at Junior to wish him farewell and hurried to catch up to Blake as she skirted around the outside of the dancefloor to save time. As she jogged behind her, Yang quickly began to unbutton her jacket and jostle her hair, readying herself for the task at hand. Junior repeatedly said "kid", which meant that he couldn't be much older than she was, and she had learned what the boys in her generation liked from the endless stream of comments she received back in high school. As the pair approached the DJ in the far back of the room and turned the bend around the mass of writhing bodies, Yang murmured quietly to herself, trying to find the right tone of voice. Should she have gone lower? Sultry? Nah. A guy who named himself The Monkey King was someone who liked to have fun, and fun liked being around fun, so she needed to raise her pitch up. Carefree, but not ditsy. Blake, seemingly embarrassed by the entire ritual, kept her gaze ahead as she circumnavigated the club, eventually finding her way to the far back right of the building, where the floor gradually became sectioned off, and a long row of lounges lied before her, sectioned off with more the same thick, black curtain. The two girls walked down the path, scanning through each one as they passed. The insides were all the same: big, leathery circular couches, wide tables in the center covered with drinks and, occasionally, illegal drugs, and shouting, youthful strangers who stared at each other like they were hungry to start ripping off each other's clothes. It was another temptation for Yang, and she took a momentarily pause from undressing herself to gaze longingly at the gatherings of friends inside, wishing she could partake in their debauchery.

They found him at the fifth lounge. He would have been rather difficult to miss. When they finally stumbled across him, he was splayed out on the couch all by himself, ten empty glasses on the table in front of him. He was a young, wild-looking fellow, with an untamed mop of blonde hair on his head and imperfect tan skin and a smooth jawline that was just waiting to invite unsuspecting women into trouble. He was also rather unkempt, dressed in a pair of black slacks with no shoes, a loosened bowtie around his neck and an unbuttoned suit jacket that revealed his incredibly toned physique beneath. He was also distinctly Faunus, with splotches of hair running down his cheeks and abdomen, and misshapen feet that elongated and warped at the toes, and a long, yellow tail that flicked and swished through the air with the beat of the music. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be enjoying himself simply listening to the other party goers, shimmying his shoulders as he mouthed along the lyrics to the song blasting overhead.

Yang smirked. He would be too easy. Blake groaned from afar as she stepped into the lounge and clasped her hands behind her head, puffing out her chest and pulling off the sexiest eyes she could manage. "Hey, pretty boy. How's it hanging?"

"What's up?" The Monkey King waved to her passively, keeping his eyes shut.

"We're looking around for someone," Yang continued, unphased. "Someone really cute. You wouldn't happen to know where anyone like could be, would you?"

"No idea, lady," The Monkey King shrugged, still not bothering to look up. Yang felt her temple start to throb, but she remained poised and took a step forward, clearing her throat.

"We're looking for a handsome guy," she stated. "Blonde hair. Huge muscles. Super fun. We would absolutely _love_ to spend some time with him and get to know him _really well_. Do you think you can help us with that?"

"Nope. Sorry," said The Monkey King with a smile. "Sounds like a cool dude though."

Yang's seductive gaze failed her, and she sneered at him. "Look, we're trying to get some information from this guy, and we would be willing to _anything_ to get help from him. Literally anything at all. I think it would be very valuable to all of us if we could have a conversation."

"Probably," admitted The Monkey King. "Can't help you though. I'm waiting on the nice lady to get me another glass of whatever this awesome drink is."

"Aren't you a little too young to be drinking?" Blake chimed in.

"It's all virgin," The Monkey King explained away. "But seriously, I'm kind of busy tonight. Maybe I can help you some other time."

"Hey," Yang snapped, clenching her hands into fists, the last semblance of sexiness falling to the wayside. "We're not leaving until we get what we want, so can you stop acting like a jerk and just help us out?"

The Monkey King groaned, and he finally turned his head towards them, opening his eyes. "Girls, no offense, but I really don't think I can—"

And then, his eyes went wide, and he froze. He stared blankly at them and gradually sat up off the couch, never taking his gaze off them, almost like he was in a trance. He jumped up onto the table, knocking empty glasses off its clean, polished surface, and he crouched as he looked ahead in absolute wonder. Yang quickly caught hold of herself, and resumed her act, smiling enticingly at him as she posed, making herself as widely available to him as possible as Blake simply stared at her from behind with disgust. The Monkey King quietly stepped off the table, and expressionless, he walked towards them, and it was then that Yang realized that she got him. It was more challenging than she anticipated, but in the end, the tried and true method of seduction pulled through for her in the end. If the Huntress thing fell apart, and then the nightclub thing fell apart, she would have to fall back on a career as a self-help guru writing guides about love and sex and all sorts of trashy things. But that was a possible future, and she was in the now, and as The Monkey King slowly walked towards her, she couldn't help but grin and spit out the joke that had been buzzing inside her head for the past hour.

"So, is that a banana in your pocket, or are you just happy to—Hey!"

Before she could finish, The Monkey King forced his way past her, and still, in a trance, he walked directly up to Blake. He smiled sheepishly at her, and she stared back awkwardly at him, folding her arms over her chest defensively.

"Hi there," he said softly.

"Uh… hi," she said back, matching his gaze.

"My name is Sun. Sun Wukong," he stated, patting himself on his fuzzy chest. "What's your name?"

"It's Blake," she said, hesitant but not rejecting his advances.

"So, Blake," he said kindly, pointing back to the couch, "you said you wanted some information?"

Blake, eyeing her opportunity, nodded accordingly, and she allowed Sun to lead her back into the lounge as Yang watched in stunned silence. Eventually, she managed to shake off the shock of his passiveness towards her and plopped down on the couch next to Blake, throwing her feet up onto the table. Sun stretched himself down on the opposite side of the couch, letting his tail swoosh over his shoulder as he rested sideways with his head on his knuckles.

"You two don't look like the kind of girls who would be normally visiting a place like this?" he asked with a warm smile. "Are you two Huntresses or something?"

"Would it matter if we were?" Blake questioned.

"No, not at all," Sun said positively. "Huntresses are awesome. In fact, when I was a kid, I wanted to become a Huntsman. I even went to a training school for a few years before I flunked out. Not to say that I was stupid, or anything. I just ended up liking the free life more."

"I can tell," Blake said, staring at the numerous empty glasses. Sun's face became grim, and with a flashy kick, he sent the rest of the glasses flying away, not caring about the damages as much as his perceived cleanliness.

"Anyway," he said, quickly changing topics, "what kind of information are you looking for exactly?"

"We're want to know if you have any info about recent Droog activity in the city," Blake explained.

"Droogs? Oh yeah, I know _tons_ of stuff about Droogs," Sun said cockily. "What do you need to know? Leadership? Shipments? Hideouts?"

"Members," Blake specified. "Around two weeks ago, a gang of six Droogs out in the countryside severely damaged the house of a Faunus and fled town before the police could get a lead on them. We think it's possible that they retreated up into the city and are hiding out in one of their strongholds. They were led by a man named Jayah. Would you have happened to hear anything about that?"

"Jayah?" Sun pondered, scratching his chin. His eyes lit up. "Yeah, actually, that sounds kind of familiar. I think I might know what you're talking about. A few days ago, I was talking to one of the Droog higher-ups, and I think he said—"

"Wait," Yang interjected, "you're friends with the Droogs?"

Sun laughed. "Dude, I'm friends with _everybody_! The whole reason I'm able to do this stuff is because people love opening up to me, and I'm really good at keeping secrets to the right parties… you know, except now. That's like my one superpower; that and being awesome. Anyway, like I was saying, I was talking to one of the Droog higher-ups, who was this freaking _massive_ dude named Moose, and I heard him complaining that his boss was complaining about the fact they had to babysit a bunch of idiots from the countryside who got into some trouble with the law. He seemed really irritated about it, too."

"Did he say the name of the person leading them?" asked Blake.

"Well, I _thought_ he said the dude's name was Jacob, but now having listened to you, I'm pretty sure the guy's name was Jayah," Sun said unconfidently. "Whatever it was, they certainly sound like the people you're looking for. Were they from a town called Brownsbarrow, or—"

"Brooksbarrow," Yang grinned. "Yep. That's them, all right. Do you know where this stronghold is located?"

"Of course, I know where it is. I'm The Monkey King," stated The Monkey King. However, he soon turned sour, and he pushed himself back up into a seating position, looking at the pair nervously. "Wait a second, why do you want to know all of this stuff anyway? You're not actually thinking of going after these guys, are you?"

"Hell yeah, we are," Yang said boldly. Blake nodded along.

"The people you just talked about hurt a friend of ours," she said sternly. "We're going to make sure they never hurt anyone else ever again."

A panic immediately took over Sun, and he crossed his arms frantically. "Hold up. That's a really terrible idea. Now is the absolute worst time for you to try to cross the Droogs."

"Why?" Blake asked, confused. "Wouldn't this be the best time to mess with the Droogs. Roman Torchwick got sent to federal prison. He was the centerpiece of that entire organization. Their leadership should be in complete disarray."

"Well, you're right about the first thing," Sun told them, leaning in close. "Roman Torchwich is gone now. Back when he was still running the show, I always thought of him and the Droogs as one and the same, you know? When he got caught, I thought for sure the whole thing would go up in smoke. But, about a month after he disappeared, someone else suddenly came in and took control of everything. Now, they seem to be running more efficiently than ever before."

"A new boss?" questioned Yang. Her sister had worked hard to see to the arrest of Roman Torchwick, and it probably would have upset her to learn that her battle against the odds ended up being for nothing. "Can you tell us anything about him?"

"Her," Sun clarified. "And no, not really. She keeps herself pretty mysterious. But I do know that she supposedly has a really short temper, and from the other Droogs I've spoken to, she isn't someone whose bad side you should ever get on. A lot of people still see Roman as a figurehead, and she's trying to cement her role as the one true leader of the Droogs, so she's going not going to take it well if anyone goes and makes her look stupid."

"I'm sure we won't have to worry about that," Blake stated. "Just tell us where we can find Jayah, and leave the rest to us."

"I mean…" Sun hesitated. "If you really want to risk it, they're being held at an off-sight location because the boss didn't want them attracting attention to the main stronghold. They're by the docks, Warehouse 301. There isn't really anything else being held there except for a bunch of old weapons and gunk, so the guard should be pretty light. But, be careful, and if either of you happens to get caught, you didn't hear about any of this from me. I have a reputation to uphold."

"Gotcha," said Blake, rising from the couch. "I think that's all we need for tonight. You've been an incredible help, Sun."

"Thanks," Sun laughed nervously. "And hey, if you don't happen to get murdered by Droogs, do you want to maybe get a bite to eat sometime? I'll buy."

"I'll… consider it," Blake said halfheartedly. Did she want a date with Sun? No. But he was kind enough, and bridges were hard to rebuild once they were burned down. Besides, there was something mildly cute about his big goofy smile, and she couldn't imagine it would be the worst thing in the world to spend an evening with him. She shoved the thoughts out of her head. She needed to focus on the mission. She thanked Sun one more time and motioned for Yang to come along with her, which the blonde did happily. As she left the lounge, she heard him call out to her.

"You didn't give me your number! How will I find you?"

"I'll find you!" Blake called back over the pounding music. The answer seemed to placate him, and he returned to lounging on the couch and enjoying the music as Yang and Blake mulled over the information they just received. Or, at the very least, Blake tried to mull over the information. Yang was far more interested in talking about other things.

"So, he was super cute, huh?" she asked with a knowing grin.

"Shut it," Blake moaned as they headed towards the club exit.

"You were totally willing to go out with him," Yang said with the utmost certainty, causing Blake to moan even further.

"No, I wasn't," said Bake defensively. "I was doing what I needed to do to get the information we needed."

"Blake has a boyfriend. Blake has a boyfriend," Yang said in a sing-song voice. She had zero problems whatsoever teasing Blake about it, for two primary reasons. One: it was incredibly pleasing and exceedingly adorable watching the always-stoic Blake squirm, and two: Yang was fully aware that nothing was ever going to come of it, so she had nothing to worry about. Not that she would have had any reason to worry anyway, because she obviously had no business with Blake's love life, but the sentiment remained.

"Well, at least we learned two things," Blake stated. "We figured out exactly where the Droogs are."

"Yep," nodded Yang. "But wait, what's the second thing?"

"That I'm hotter than you are," Blake said with a sly grin. Yang groaned, begrudgingly buttoning back up her jacket. She admittedly walked right into that one, but she wasn't one to back down in a game of jabs and banter. She would come up with something better that would knock Blake off her feet, but at the time, she was more than willing to let the shadow girl have her victory if it made her happy.

Yang later regretted that she did not enjoy that moment more between them while it lasted. They would not feel that way again for a very long time.


	38. Droogs! - Part 2

**Note: Hello, everyone. We're back again with another update. Originally, this was supposed to be the first half of a much longer chapter, but we thought the two would work better as separate entities and we really wanted to get something out because we haven't updated in a few days, so we're releasing a new chapter now. We also did some minor rewrites to the upcoming arc because we weren't happy with our progress on it, so let us know what you think of it. Again, thank you to everyone who has been reading and has been invested in what comes next, and thank you especially to the people who've allowed us to reach over 200 reviews, which has been unbelievably helpful in writing something you guys will enjoy. We are literally in the middle of writing the next chapter as we upload this, so if you have any feedback, the sooner the better, because we're on a time limit, yo. Seriously though, thanks and enjoy.**

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Yang never expected it would be so easy to sneak into the warehousing district. The City of Vale was one of the largest importers of goods in the world, and there were more than a handful of powerful individuals who would go to incredible lengths to make sure their property was held safely. Even in the slummier districts of the city, she expected to find heavy security, if not from the Droogs that she was hoping to track down, then from any of the hundred corporations that kept their property sorted nearby. It was the reason why she parked Bumblebee so far away and had to proceed on foot, lest she be heard and discovered. Of course, she was expecting to be discovered regardless; she was a brawler, and she would have sooner knocked on the front door of the warehouse than try to stealth her way around.

But that was why she had Blake with her. Yang would fully admit that she never truly understood how Blake was able to disappear as easily as she did. In all of the times Blake had vanished on her—during practice, late at night, when they went off to study—she never really saw or studied how she went about moving the way she did. That night, however, was an exception. Blake couldn't afford to let Yang fall behind and go off on her own, and so she slowed her pace down just enough so her dragon of a teammate could keep up with her. As such, Yang got to witness Blake's capabilities firsthand, and like everything the shadow did, Yang soon found herself enraptured by it. It wasn't simply her athleticism, her natural ability to scale to buildings in the blink of an eye, the distance in her jumps as she leaped between rooftops, the way she pressed herself against the walls and melted into their textures. It was that she made it all look so easy. She could twist and turn herself in the air without exerting the slightest bit of effort. Her perception was immaculate. She could pick up the location of a guard twenty meters away and around the bend that Yang would have simply barreled into, and no matter what she did, she was always in complete control. Control of her body. Control of her surroundings. Calm. Collected. Never breaking a sweat. Yang was beyond fortunate to have Blake on her team, and though she knew she could be a burden, she hoped that Blake enjoyed having her as well.

Blake cut her way through a skylight on top of Warehouse 301, and the two Huntresses dropped silently onto the fluorescent light fixture overhanging the crummy warehouse floor. They stared down the fifteen-foot drop, checking for whatever dangers or traps awaited them. Sun's advice was right on the money. Directly beneath them were six men sat around a poker table, dressed in white button-down shirts and black slacks, staring emptily at the cards in their hands, sweating away in the stuffiness of the warehouse. They set themselves up in the midst of hazard-labeled crates, stacked on top of each other in three rows of five lining both walls of the interior. They had set themselves close to the back, away from the massive sliding door at the entrance, and behind them lied a massive industrial fan closely attached to a generator, both turned off despite the heat. Yang rolled her eyes at the picture in her mind. The fools had likely turned on the fan only to watch as their cards and chips were blown across the room, and they were so desperate to pass the time that they would rather sit and suffer than stop gambling for even a moment. She wondered how long their boss had kept them in that prison, periodically delivering them food and water so they wouldn't have to go outside. She wondered how much longer they would be kept there, how long before it was determined by a force beyond their control that the threat to them was extinguished. Or at least, what the boss _thought_ the threat to them would be.

Yang recognized three of the boys. She had to, considering how desperate the three of them were to get into her pants not even a month ago. She had no idea which one was their ringleader, though. Neither she or Blake ever encountered the bastard, probably for his own good. It was not as if it really mattered; by the end of it, they would all be on the floor, but she did wish she knew Jayah's face, just so she could have the extra satisfaction of breaking it. He was the one who schemed to destroy Zelina's house. He stole her book from her, destroyed her possessions one after the other. That sweet woman was forced to suffer because of him, and Yang was going to make him pay. She was going to make that Faunus proud if it was the last thing she did. First things first, they needed a plan, and like always, Blake was two steps ahead of her. Keeping their silence, Blake motioned down to the generator and then held up her grappling hook for Yang to see. A few beats later, Yang understood. There were still guards swarming the outside of the facility, and while the Droogs were deep inside, the warehouse wasn't large enough that any commotion would go unnoticed. A loud enough noise, however, one that the guards were already familiar with, could do wonders. With a nod, Yang repositioned her footing, hovering over her targets as a hand of cards was slapped down on the table beneath her.

"Royal flush!" a Droog wildly declared, reaching over and grabbing onto the pile of chips accumulated in the center of the table. Another Droog immediately snatched his arm.

"Are you blind?" he asked incredulously. "There's no seven in a royal flush, you bowlhead!"

"Okay, fine, not a royal flush," he protested, "but I still win. I got the Ace, King, Queen, and Jack all lined up, see?"

"So, what? That doesn't mean anything?"

"Yes, it does!"

"Four in a row ain't a real poker hand, bowlhead," the Droog said, slapping the other firmly on the arm. "They have to all be matching numbers for you to get a four of a kind. Your hand is worth shit."

"Better than your hand!"

"No, I got a pair of fives," stated the Droog. "God, I wish something would smack you in the head to make you sound less stupid."

Yang grinned at Blake. Ready or not, that sentence was the best cue she was ever going to receive, and she knew she couldn't miss out on such an obvious opportunity. Blake only managed to react a split-second before she did, and as Yang stepped off the light fixture and plummeted to the earth, Blake quickly tossed out her grappling hook to the generator below. Her weapon struck the generator perfectly, and the old machine suddenly came to life with a roar, and with it, so too did the fan. The Droogs recoiled as their cards and chips flew violently off the table, and Yang saw an opening, landing crouched on the now empty table with a bold smile, her hair whipping in the wind.

"Hey, boys," she smirked. "Miss me?"

In hindsight, it was never fair to assume it would be a fair fight. From the instant she landed, Yang realized she had them outmatched. The poor saps had never even bothered to bring their weapons, thinking themselves safe surrounded by guards in a city far from home. She used a blast from her gauntlet to propel her fist back, and when her armored hand crashed into the head of a helpless, unsuspecting Droog, still unable to understand the rules of poker, let alone the situation he found himself in, she felt not just a rush of satisfaction, but also of relief. They were, after all, breaking the law fighting forces far stronger than them. It shouldn't be so easy. And yet, when the Droog was sent flying into the crates lining the wall, his teeth spilling out of his mouth from the force of her punch, she remembered just how strong she actually was. They may have been slimy, despicable people preying on the weak, but they weren't strong.

When Blake swung down from the ceiling after her, bashing the other argumentative Droog in the back of the head with the blunt side of her sheath, the odds only increased in their favor. Yang jumped off the table, landing by Blake's side, and she smiled wickedly as she looked at the easy fight she had before her. Her friend was stoic, but Yang knew that deep down, she felt the same confidence and energy, the same hunger that she did. Two Huntresses against a handful of weak, Auraless criminals, too scared and startled to even properly gather themselves in preparation for a fight. She and Blake weren't just strong, they were _invincible_ , and she loved it. The Droogs screamed, but their voices were mostly muffled by the fan, and even as one bolted for the door, Blake acted effortlessly and shot out his legs before he could reach, causing him to collapse in agony. Her moves were so swift Yang hadn't even seen it coming. Calm and collected, like always. One of the Droogs pushed the remaining two in front of him as a shield. Jayah: Yang could tell it was him simply from the act of cowardice. He would be dealt with last. He would be dealt with personally.

They each took one. Yang shot forward, taking her goon by surprise. She threw an uppercut, and it collided into his chest, knocking the air from his lungs. She didn't hear his ribs break, but she felt them. She felt her fist connect once, and then shift forward deeper into his skin. She felt his bones shift out of the way of her punch. She felt the impact travel through his muscles and reverberate back up through her arm, mingling with her senses. She felt his weight fall onto her as his legs gave out, and she felt how easy it was to shrug him off, sliding his useless meat off her fist onto the floor, on the ground where it belonged. It was the single most satisfying punch she had ever thrown in her life. More satisfying than punching Cardin. More satisfying than punching a Grimm. For that one punch, she didn't just hit someone, she changed them, knocked the evil out of their Souls, crippled their ability to harm others, controlled their very future. That punch maintained her dominion over him, showed him how strong she was, how weak _he_ was compared to her, and the best part was that she could do it over and over again.

Blake disposed of her Droog just as simply, leaving him lying on the floor with his arm broken in three places. All that was left was Jayah, and soon, the leader of the gang members realized it when they did. He had nowhere left to run, and his partners were either unconscious or groaning in agony beneath the heavy hum of the fan. He reached for his back pocket in a panic, pulling out a switchblade, but before he could even have a chance to swing it, Yang grabbed onto his wrist, clenching it tightly. Jayah opened his mouth to scream, but he was so incredibly pathetic that no sound came out. All he could do was watch as the girl with blonde and a sadistic smile squeezed tighter on his wrist, crushing it effortlessly.

"Is this really the best you can do?" Yang taunted him. She pulled sharply on his wrist, throwing him to the ground. "A fucking switchblade? Were you not paying attention?"

"Hey, hey, don't hurt me!" Jayah protested, crawling on his back towards the entrance of the room.

"Don't hurt me?" Yang asked, disgusted. "Is that what Zelina said when you destroyed her house? Remember her? Zelina Zaripova? Did you really think that no one would ever find out about what you did to her?"

"What, the Faunus? This is about the Faunus?" Jayah asked, stunned. "Look, we were hired to do a job, lady? N-nothing personal?"

"Don't you fucking lie to me!" Yang shouted, grabbing onto his ankle and dragging him back into the center of the room. "You were hired to steal a book, not destroy her home. Do you know how hard that woman is going to have to work to rebuild her life? She has nothing. No family. No friends. Do you think that's fair?"

She released her grip, and the Droog leader tried scrambling to his feet, only for Yang to kick him back down. Blake was watching her from a distance, saying nothing. Or at least, Yang heard her say nothing. With the fan, and the cries, and her heart pounding in her ears, it was hard to hear much of anything, except for her instinct to keep pushing forward, to make Jayah pay.

"Look, I'm… I'm sorry, okay?" he stammered, holding out his hands in front of his as a weak defense. "I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt me?"

"Are you serious?" questioned Yang. "You throw your friends into the line of fire so they can take the punishment for you, you openly lie to my face about what you did in Brooksbarrow, and now you're trying to weasel your way out getting what you deserve?"

"Please…. mercy, please…" The Droog begged. Yang disregarded those statements, and casually reached down, grabbing onto his other wrist and holding it up in the air. He watched her helplessly his terrified eyes connecting to her violent gaze.

"I don't think so. The last time we gave you mercy, you went right back to hurting people the very next day," Yang explained simply, bending back his wrist as far it could go as he whimpered in pain. "I can snap your arm off right now if I wanted to. I wouldn't even have to try. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't?"

"I… I promise I won't do it again," he begged, tears starting to well in his eyes. Yang could not tell if they were real or forced, and truthfully, it did not matter to her. He did not regret what he did to Zelina. He didn't regret anything. He was just too afraid to take responsibility. A revolting, dishonest thing.

"What do you think, Blake?" Yang asked, twisting his wrist further out of shape. "What do you think the punishment should be for our friend, Jayah?"

Blake stepped forward, having casually watched Yang turn and wrench the poor Droog's wrist for long enough. She knelt beside the Droog's arm, her face cold. From the look in her eye, Yang could tell the girl had done this before. Though she lacked the context, she was willing to let experience take over.

"How old are you?" Blake asked carefully.

"I'm… I'm twenty-one," he stuttered.

"So, you're more than old enough to understand what you did was wrong, aren't you?" Blake stated bluntly. "Why did you destroy Miss Zaripova's home?"

"S-she hired you all to attack us," Jayah admitted. "You broke into our home, we break into hers. Payback is payback, right? That's what you're doing now. That's all fair. We got nothing against the woman, nothing against all Faunus! Everyone who knows Droogs knows that Droogs don't do that kind of thing."

Yang sneered. "Blake, are you believing any of this?"

"I don't know," Blake shrugged. "It's so hard to tell with these people."

"Then let's try a different method," Yang said, dropping Jayah's wrist. Without warning—and without Blake's prior approval—she grabbed onto Jayah by his collar, hoisting him off the ground effortlessly, and she marched to the back of the room to where the generator roared loudly, and the large, industrial fan spun powerfully. Whoever had designed the fan was careless, as they never bothered to install a metal grating between the blades and the open air. Perhaps it was laziness that guided them, or perhaps it was fate, because it was that fundamental flaw in design that called Yang to the fan and encouraged her to shove Jayah's head almost directly inside of it. He screamed loudly as his scalp was placed inches from the rapidly spinning blades, but his cries were still muffled to outsiders, and Yang refused to let go.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Jayah shouted desperately.

"Is this a more convincing argument?" Yang said furiously. "Maybe I should throw you right in and watch you get cut into a hundred tiny little pieces? Would that be more fun?"

"No! Please, don't kill me! Don't kill me!"

"Why not?" Yang asked again, inching his head ever closer to the fan. "All you've ever done with your life is hurt people. If I let you go now, you'll go right back to hurting people tomorrow without a second thought. What's so redeeming about your life that it should be worth saving?"

"I won't ever hurt anyone again!" Jayah shouted. "I'll quit the Droogs! I'll live an honest life! I promise I promise, I promise! Please! I promise I'll be good! Just don't hurt me anymore!"

And somewhere in those words, Yang heard something she hadn't heard all night. In every other word that Jayah had spoken, she heard an underlying layer of contempt and bitterness and deceit. And yet, at that moment, when he was so powerless that he could no longer move his arms, and the tears were running down his face, and his head was seconds away from being torn to pieces, she heard honesty within his voice. True, actual, unmistakable honesty. Blake had heard it as well, and despite their better instincts, they did very much believe him. Yang truly believed that he would repent. He would abandon the life of a criminal in a heartbeat, and reform to become a better man. He would seek forgiveness for his crimes, perhaps get an education, an honest job, a good wife, and live a happy, normal life outside of his horrid past. It wasn't just a possibility; from all Yang could tell, it was almost a certain outcome if she let him go.

And that infuriated her. Why did he deserve to go and live a happy life? He had committed countless crimes throughout his wretched existence, and all of a sudden, she was supposed to let him try again because he said he was sorry a few times? That rat, that snake, that vermin piece of shit was supposed to get a second chance, but Zelina and thousands of others like her couldn't? He didn't deserve any of that. He didn't deserve mercy. He hadn't earned it. If anything, he was more pathetic. She had gone into that night expecting a challenge, not just a physical challenge against her strength and agility, but a challenge of her will. She expected the Droogs to fight not just to defend themselves, but their ideology. She expected Jayah to defend his actions wholly, to be stern and set into his ways, so that when she knocked him down a peg, it would actually mean something. Instead, what she got was two minutes of beating up a bunch of defenseless teenagers who refused to stand up for their own actions, who couldn't pour water out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel.

All she had to do was move her hands forward, and that would be it. One more weak, spineless, undeserving life scrubbed from the world. It would have made Vale cleaner. It would have made all of Remnant cleaner. Safer. Stronger. The lot of them deserved to go as well, not just the rest of the bastards in the warehouse, but all of the Droogs, each and every one of the worthless bastards. She wanted them all dead, and why would she have to wait? She and Blake tore through the warehouse like it was nothing. They could destroy the organization over the weekend, break the system down one member at a time until there was nothing left but the putrid, rotten core, and then she would squash that too with the biggest smile on her face. She could start the process there, just by taking the worm caught in her fingers and pushing him forward.

She would love it.

"Yang, I think you've made the point."

Blake placed a hand on Yang's shoulder, and suddenly, she remembered where she was, and what she was doing. She heard Jayah's cries.

"Come on. Drop him," Blake instructed. Yang looked carefully at the life that was in her hands, and with a sigh, she backed away from the fan and threw Jayah against the crates on the side wall. He whimpered in pain, slumping over to his side as she shuddered in terror. She looked around at the mess she and Blake had made, and her breathing steadied. The six Droogs that had harmed Zelina were broken down, scattered across the warehouse. They would not be bothering anyone again for a very long time. Some of them would likely never hurt anyone else again because they now knew the punishment that was in store for them if they stepped out of line. She looked at Blake next to her, expecting her friend's expression to still be empty, but it wasn't. There was relief in their mission being over, but also the smallest, almost indistinguishable hint of concern towards something Yang was unsure of. It didn't matter to her though. Their mission was accomplished.

"You ready to go?" asked Blake cautiously.

"Yeah," Yang said, responding with more unsureness of her own. "Might as well."

"Good. Also, you can turn off your Semblance now."

Yang didn't understand the comment at all. She hadn't used her Semblance once the entire night. She did not need it.

Then, Yang blinked.

"There. That's... better. You were freaking me out," Blake said gladly.

Yang thought the comment was unprompted. She did not realize that by blinking, her eyes only just became their normal color of lilac. She did not realize that her eyes had been blood red since she entered the warehouse.


	39. Drifting

**Note: Hello. This chapter was originally meant to be the second half of the last chapter, but as you can see by the length, it sort of got away from us, so we decided to split it into two sections and had to really work to get it out by today. Quite honestly, we think it works out a lot better this way, and we had to work all day to rewrite this to the point where we were happy with it, so we really hope you will let us know what you think of it down below. Your words are always appreciated. We expect to hear a lot of ones after this chapter.**

 **Also, our lives are starting bak up again, so sadly you may expect the rate of updates to slow down. We still feel like this is a good place to leave you. Enjoy.**

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"Yang, you're drifting."

Yang's focus returned to the road. She was on Bumblebee. The time: approaching midnight. It was difficult to pay attention to any one thing. Her mind was drifting as much as her bike was beneath her. She kept going back to the warehouse from an hour before, to the late-night snack that she and Blake grabbed on their way back, to the random street signs she saw along the way. She had a lot to think about, which she should not have had on the road in a very busy city such as Vale, especially with a passenger who was holding tightly onto her waist from behind. She needed to stay focused on getting them back to Beacon safely. It would be painfully ironic if they had braved the danger of the Droogs only to die in a car crash on the way back home. Her dad would be so disappointed in her, though he would likely still be disappointed in her for not wearing a helmet. He had gone to great lengths to explain to her what would happen if she had a spill, the potential injuries that could ruin her life in a split-second. Yet, she kept ignoring him, possibly out of arrogance of being a teenager, possibly because she liked the feeling of the wind through her hair. She could see better without it, react better. Knowing that she was in danger made her a better driver, and it was a sensation that she craved. Like back in the warehouse. Back when she was crushing people's bones beneath her fists.

"Pay attention, Yang," Blake chastised her again.

"Sorry."

She was still drifting. She couldn't help it. Her hands were shaking, only kept in control by her tight grip on the rubber bike handles. They were still miles from exiting the city, and Yang couldn't drive all that way knowing she might crash at any moment. She had to pull over. She scanned the street nearby for an empty space, and two blocks down the road, she was able to locate an abandoned parking space by the sidewalk, which she slowly glided her bike into, much to Blake's surprise.

"We're stopping?" she asked as Yang forced down the kickstand with her foot.

"I just… need a minute." Yang quietly massaged her trembling hands, and placed her back against a nearby store window, pressing the back of her head against the darkened glass. She inhaled deeply through her nose, and exhaled back through her mouth, closing her eyes to steady itself. Instead, it made it all the easier for her thoughts to drift back to that warehouse, back to those incredible feelings she had when she was tearing through the Droogs. They still lingered within her, and even an hour later the aftershocks were some of the most pleasurable sensations she had ever experienced. The memories of flesh stuck to her knuckles, and she could taste the coppery air on her tongue. Most importantly, she still heard that nagging voice in the back of her head telling her to go back for more.

So why the hell was she shaking?

"Are you okay?" Blake asked, slowly approaching her.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Yang insisted, nodding her head, her eyes still shut tightly.

"You sure?" Blake said, her tone uncertain. "You don't look like you're fine."

"I am. I just need to collect my thoughts," Yang stated, taking another breath, thumbing over the backs of her fingers. Blake gently rubbed her shoulder, awkwardly watching her friend breathe in and out, trying to convince her that she was okay.

"I mean, things got kind of intense back there," Blake reminded her. "I've seen you get angry before, but I don't remember you ever acting like that before."

"I wasn't angry," Yang said. That comment was finally enough for her to open her eyes and look Blake in the eye, although when their gaze met, she was a bit shocked to find that the hint of genuine concern from earlier had blossomed, and for the first time since she met her, Blake looked actively uncomfortable.

"What do you mean you weren't angry?" Blake asked, stunned. "You threatened to throw a guy into an industrial fan. That's… hardcore, even for me."

"But I'm fine. I'm glad I was able to make those assholes pay for what they did to Zelina. I know I might have gotten a little into it, but I'm just… I don't _feel_ angry," Yang explained, throwing up her shaky hands in frustration. She wasn't lying, or she didn't think she was lying. The only thing that was even remotely making her angry was Blake's constant questioning of her actions. She didn't want or need to defend them, not when they were so self-explanatory. Not when they felt so good.

"Why did you trigger your Semblance then?" Blake asked.

"I didn't! Why are you asking me again?" Yang asked, irritated.

And so, Blake explained herself to Yang. She explained carefully that she remembered talking to Yang atop of the light fixture while her eyes were their normal shade of violet, and then, once the Droogs started arguing over poker, Blake saw Yang's eyes turn a bright shade of red before she jumped down into the warehouse. She told Yang that she seemed to be stronger when fighting the Droogs than she was during practice and that she knew from their training that Yang's Semblance caused her eyes to turn colors. Yang listened to her, confused as all hell, immediately laying down the claim that she was mistaken, that her mind had been playing tricks on her. Yang asked if her hair and skin began to glow as well; she knew the visible side effects of her powers, and when Blake denied that they did, Yang shrugged dismissively, considering the case closed, even as Blake was adamant that she was speaking the truth.

"Okay, so maybe I was a little bit angry at them," Yang suggested. "Sometimes I may trigger tiny bits of my Semblance when I'm frustrated because the adrenaline helps me think better. I don't see why that's such a problem."

"It's a problem because it's seventy degrees outside and you are _shivering_ ," Blake told her bluntly. "I'm worried that you aren't processing this well enough because you don't have experience doing these sorts of things, and you weren't ready for this."

"I'm processing this fine," Yang said defensively. She checked to her left and right quickly, and realizing that no one else was around them, she raised her voice and pointed accusingly at Blake. "I think _you're_ the one with the problem."

Blake's eyes widened. "What?"

"Yeah, I think you're the one who's acting weird," Yang stated more authoritatively.

"Do _not_ try to turn this around on me," Blake demanded, raising her tone to match. It had only taken a few seconds for her worries to disappear, and for her shell to slide right back into place, veiling away those pesky emotions.

"No, let's turn this back around on you because you should be the angry one here," Yang exclaimed. "This whole damn mission of taking out the Droogs was _your_ idea, remember? And yet, the second that push came to shove, you were more than willing to let that bastard go without so much as a scratch. All of this talk about avenging what happened to Zelina, and in the end, you didn't care. Like always."

"You know, I'm starting to get really sick of you saying that," Blake groaned.

"Because it's true," Yang declared, holding her arms out wide to the world in shock. "You don't give a shit about anything! That's how it's always been. A woman's house gets destroyed? Don't care. Break a guy's arm? Don't care.

"The reason why I don't shout and scream like you do during missions," Blake stated, jabbing her own finger back in Yang's face, "is because I _know_ better. I have to stay in control because when you are fighting for your life, and you let yourself get carried away, you slip up and you get hurt. Other's get hurt. This is what I'm talking when I say that you need experience to do these things."

Yang merely scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, right, you mean the experience of all of those _terrible_ things in your past that you will never tell me about. These super awful terrible tragedies that make up your entire life that makes it impossible for you to have any friends, that if you even give me the slightest of what they are, it will make me hate you forever and ever… as if that isn't already happening right now."

"Do you think I don't know that?" Blake asked angrily. "Have you ever considered that maybe I _want_ to tell you more about me? Believe me, my life would be so much easier if I just told you everything I could, but the truth is that no matter much I would like to, I _can't_. And really, I'm sorry that isn't good enough for you, but it really is better this way for both of us."

Yang pushed herself off the wall, storming past Blake toward her bike. Any pedestrians that may have been coming their way surely would have abandoned course by then, but truthfully, she didn't care anymore. She was so fed up with arguing that her mind was already starting to drift back to that warehouse, that taste of copper on her tongue.

"You what's funny? I thought maybe we finally turned the corner," Yang stated bitterly. "Fighting alongside you tonight, I thought that maybe we finally understood each other, and could actually make something work between us. But no, we're just here again: yelling and screaming like on day one."

"Yang," Blake called to her sternly, but Yang turned around, stepping up to Blake as close as she could, her face contorted as it rested inches away from contact.

"And you know what else? I'm tired of your excuses," Yang added. "Because I have been way more tolerant with you than I should be, and if it's so abundantly clear that you are never even going to try, then I should really just stop making a fool of myself, shouldn't I?"

"Yang—"

"No, fuck you. I don't care anymore," Yang said with finality. "I'm done this shit. I'm done with you. Because you keep talking about how your shitty past makes it so that no one wants to be friends with you, but we both know the real reason why everyone hates you is that, deep down, you are and always have just been a miserable _cunt_."

Blake's mouth opened again, but it simply hanged there in place, no words emanating from it. Her eyes were wide as saucers, and for what may have been the first time in her life, the girl looked wholly, truly stunned at the words coming her way. She could barely even comprehend the insult just hurled at her, let alone the fact that it came from Yang Xiao Long of all people. She stood there for what felt like forever, unmoving as Yang breathed heavily inches from her face, her stare cold and piercing. The world passed by around them; a black minivan sped on the road behind Yang, cruising down the mostly empty city streets, and in the distance, there were the sounds of honking horns and the smell of diesel. But all Blake did was stare back blankly at the woman, until finally, her gaze narrowed, and her jaw clenched, the tension returning to her face.

"Yang," she said simply, "your eyes are red again."

And with that, the anger washed away from Yang's face. She checked behind Blake's head to look into the store window, and sure enough, she saw them: two glowing, blood red orbs staring directly back at her, unprompted and unchallenged. She had no idea how long they had been like, but judging from her pulse pounding in her ears and the heat coursing through her, it had been far too long. She blinked several times until the glow suddenly disappeared, but for Blake, it was already too late, and she turned to walk away, a wave of quiet anger consuming her.

"I think I'm going to take a taxi back to Beacon," she said coldly. "You go do whatever."

It was incredible how fast Yang's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach, and how fast all of her common sense returned to her, as well as her guilt. What the hell just happened to her? She couldn't even believe the words that had just come out of her own mouth, and more importantly, who she just said them to. She didn't think of Blake like that. Not at all. She liked Blake, cared for her. Regardless of whether the other girl would admit it, they were friends. They had problems, sure, but nothing that she didn't think they could work past. She had been trying for so long to get Blake to finally open up, and she finally was going to. Blake showed concern for her, actual _honest-to-fucking-God_ concern for her wellbeing. Blake was trying to look after her while she was unwell, and after all that time begging, pleading, praying for Blake to finally do that exact thing, what did she do in response? She insulted her, humiliated her, called her something stupid and horrible that Yang had never called anyone before in her entire life. That word wasn't even part of her vocabulary; she had no idea where that thought came from. She just lost control of herself, except the emotions she experienced were barely even hers to begin with. It was just like with Ruby, only far worse. Ruby would always have forgiven her because they were sisters, even if that bond was stretched, and she was far kinder to Ruby than she was to Blake. Blake had defenses made of steel, defenses that Yang had wanted so fucking desperately wanted to open up only to wound her when she did, and now she was going to retreat behind them, likely never to come out again. Their friendship, all of her hard work: dashed, in an instant, and it was all her fault.

Yang quickly hurried after her, jogging up beside her. "Blake, wait, I'm sorry. I didn't—"

"Just fuck off," Blake muttered. She was hiding the hurt in her voice, but it was there. Somehow, the ever apathetic Blake Belladonna found a way to care about something, and that knowledge only further crushed Yang's spirit.

"No, please, let me explain," Yang begged, but Blake quickened her pace, storming off deeper into the city. Yang fell behind her soon, her feet giving up with the rest of her.

Blake, for her part, tried to forget her teammate and tried to focus on literally anything else. She wasn't mad. She didn't get mad, or offended, or hurt. That wasn't her, and so she needed to focus on _literally anything else_. Her heavy eyelids. She was tired. She hadn't slept well in weeks. Too many things to pay attention to, like schoolwork. Like her plans. Like her study partner, who was awful, rotten, horrid.

But she didn't matter to Blake, so she thought of something else. Her weapon. She needed to get it cleaned. It was in the need of a long, deep clean, and possibly a set of repairs, like how Ruby recently sent her own weapon in for more repairs, and of course there was blood on it from that night, when she and that other person she hated did a thing, so she forgot that too.

She tried to focus on the street shops beside her. She tried to focus on the black minivan heading down the road towards her. She tried to focus on the starless sky and the cracked pavement beneath her feet and the gross city smells and everything else she could think of to ignore that packet of violent, pent-up emotions that was traveling through her brain, threatening to overtake her after she had done all she could for so long to bury them deep. She needed to keep them at bay, just for a little while longer, just until she left that other wretched girl behind, just until she could no longer be seen as that perfect shield that she built for herself came crumbling down around her.

She was failing.

Wait. Black minivan. Her mind wondered off those feelings for just a second to reattach her focus to the black minivan heading down the street towards her. Hadn't she just seen that heading in the opposite direction? At first, she thought it was a coincidence; the city was full of black vans, after all. But as the vehicle moved closer, her vision narrowed, and she realized that it was the same car, heading back towards them, its monstrous engine growing louder and louder as it approached fifty feet, forty, thirty, twenty.

And it was speeding up.

At once, Blake's mind raced back to the present, and her training took over. She did not see the van roll down its windows, nor did she see the guns emerge from inside them, but she turned around, all the same, bolting back towards Yang as fast as she could. Yang herself didn't realize what was happening, first thinking that Blake had changed her mind until she saw the sheer panic on her face, the van rapidly closing in. Blake did not wait for approval before tackling Yang to the ground, diving them both behind the bike parked close by. They hit the ground the moment before the hail of bullets came for them, submachine guns pumping out of the windows of the van as it zoomed past them, striking Bumblebee and the wall behind as Blake and Yang hid desperately for cover behind its metal surface, their eyes and ears covered as they curled up to make themselves as small of targets as possible from the blazing machine guns. A hundred shots were fired above their heads, shattering through the window of the store behind them and ricocheting off the walls inside, and a single bullet bounced sharply off the inner wheel of the bike, landing centimeters from Yang's head. The van screeched to a halt a few feet down the road, and immediately four men in matching back suits and long red ties hopped out of the back, each brandishing long swords as they charged towards the bike. Blake and Yang scrambled back to their feet, and for the moment, the animosity between them vanished, as the swordsmen began their attack.

They separated, each taking on two at a time, and Yang realized quickly that something was wrong. She threw out a set of jabs which the gangsters deflected easily with their hilts, and working together, they slashed rapidly, making it almost impossible to avoid their attacks, forcing Yang to block and power through them. They were Droogs, they had to be, but they were far stronger than Jayah and his rowdy bunch of teenagers. They had to be professionals, each with decades of experience under their belts teaching them how to take down true Huntresses. Blake faired no better under their assault; she could dodge faster than Yang could, but even dual wielding Gambol Shroud she could not find an opening, having all her swipes easily deflected. The panic set further in. They were outmatched.

Yang searched for an opening, any opening as the Droogs launched another simultaneous attack, bringing down their sword together vertically, forcing Yang to hold up her hands and brace the impact with her gauntlets. She needed an exit strategy, fast. Bumblebee was likely severely damaged. She couldn't get on it to outrun them, and escaping on foot was absolutely out of the question. How many more people would be after them? Even if she stopped these four, they could still be in danger as long as they were in the city. Getting to Beacon fast was their only hope, and for that, they needed transport. Yang's mind worked overtime, and in that split-second, a radical plan formulated itself. The van. The driver was still inside, but he likely wasn't a fighter, and she could overpower him easily. How long would it take to hijack it and escape? The drive would be brutal, sure, but it was better than running off on foot. She would have to take out the four swordsmen quickly and hope that Blake was still sharp enough to follow her lead when she took action. She had one chance, and she needed to make it count.

Yang jumped into the air, pushing up her gauntlets to gain extra space, and in midair, she jutted out her legs, dropkicking the two gangsters in their midsections. They keeled over as she landed on the floor, and she worked in the half-second she had them distracted. She reached over and grabbed one by the ankle, tugging hard to send him crashing headfirst into the hard pavement, and she kicked up her legs to generate enough momentum to swing herself up to her feet, spinning around and crashing her elbow into the other swordsman's ribs in the process, knocking him away. She had a clear path to the van if only for a moment, and she quickly glanced backward towards Blake to make sure she was still okay. She hurried towards the van, moving as fast as she could. She couldn't afford to fail—

Yang's thoughts were suddenly cut short when a foreign object crashed into her chest, causing her to stammer backward. She clutched her chest as she saw the weapon in question: a pretty, pink umbrella, and its owner, who casually stepped in front of her, blocking her path. The woman in her way was short, far shorter than her, put her posture exuded all the power she could ever possibly need. She was dressed formally for the evening, with a whitetail jacket and matching heeled boots, brown, torn stockings and pretty pink jewelry adorning her ears and neck. Her hair was split down the middle between the latter colors, white streaks lining its right side, and her eyes were the same only flipped on opposite sides of her head. Atop her head rested a tall, poignant top hat, brown with a beautiful pink ribbon wrapped around it, and on her face rested a cocky yet extremely collected grin. She said nothing as she twirled around her umbrella, smirking at Yang's misfortunes, but she didn't have to say a single word to Yang to understand her.

She was the boss of the Droogs, and she was coming to collect on her debts.

Yang charged at her furiously, throwing out a mean right hook, only for the woman to sidestep the attack and simultaneously wrap her arm under Yang's and bring up her umbrella into Yang's chin. Yang took another step back, dazed, but the Droog overlord gave her no reprieve, repeatedly bashing her in the legs to knock her off-balance. Yang recovered and threw five punches towards her head, the fastest five punches she had ever thrown, but the boss weaved around all of them effortlessly, still smirking, still in control. She quickly ducked around Yang and kicked her hard in the spine, sending the young Huntress flying forward. Yang did not notice when the big guy showed up, but she felt his grip hard as she stumbled into his embrace, and he wrapped a gargantuan arm around her throat, squeezing the life out of her in a chokehold. She flailed her limbs wildly, throwing her arms back into him as hard as she could, but nothing seemed to loosen his grip; he was built like a tree and could take a hit like one, and Yang slowly felt the life drain from her as she saw Blake struggle against her own gangsters.

The others had recovered, and in a four-on-one fight, Blake knew that her odds were slim. But she didn't give up. She couldn't. Not to them. She fought valiantly, swinging out her dual weapons in every which way she could, trying to get in any hit she could manage. Unfortunately, all of her training and experience were useless against such overwhelming odds, and it was only a matter of time before she fell. She became tripped up when one of the swordsmen feigned an attack, causing her to block unnecessarily, leaving her wide open to a strong bash from the opposite angle, which sent her flying to the ground in front of Yang, and sent her weapon flying against the sidewalk by the broken store window. Blake slowly rose to her knees as one of the swordsmen stepped beside her, raising his sword high up in the air, and Yang tried to scream her name as loud as she could, but her voice escaped her, and she was all too weak to resist any further. Blake looked up just in time to see the swordsman bring down his blade hard towards her skull, and at the moment before her death, she did the only thing she could think of, and threw her hands up in the path of the sword, letting the sharp steel collide directly with her palms.

Only, to the swordsman's surprise, it didn't cut through. Blake wrapped her hands tightly around the long blade, pushing back against its force from her inferior position on the ground, and it was only then that Yang the swordsman both realized the soft glow coming off her palms. Blake's experience had not failed her yet; there was still one more trick up her sleeve. Aura was a powerful device, one that Huntresses like her usually used to lightly coat their entire body in a thin layer of armor. In that form, swords could easily penetrate it, but concentrated, focused together in a single place, it could form a weave strong enough to deflect against any attack. And it was in her palms that she stored that Aura, all of the remaining energy she had left in her body directed to the soft matter on her hands, repelling the blade without cutting her, no matter how hard the swordsman pushed down. With all of the strength she could muster, she struggled back to her feet, growling as she pushed the sword up higher and higher, further away from her skull. The swordsman was forced to take a step back to rebalance himself as Blake finally regained her footing, pushing back on the sword so hard that it was pointed straight up in the air above both their heads. Blake struggled desperately, fighting with everything she had. It wasn't over as long as she kept her Aura focused on her hands. Like that, it would make them nearly invincible.

It also left the rest of her body defenseless.

Blake saw the metal spike pierce through her before she actually felt it. It came from behind, bursting out of her chest just below her ribs on her left side, sticking clean up in the air between her and the swordsman. At first, she didn't even realize what it was, nor did she realize that it was covered in her own blood. She did not hear the boss of the Droogs step up behind her or remove the long spear from the hidden compartment inside her umbrella. The grinning woman had simply directed her blade to cut straight through the soft meat of the young girl in front of her, and like its master, the weapon performed it effortlessly, shoving nearly all two feet of its length straight through the chest of the girl in question, not caring what it destroyed along the way. Blake simply stared down the pike with wide, unbelieving eyes as time froze around her, and it was only when the boss suddenly ripped the blade out the way it came in, did she suddenly feel the bite of the cold steel, and she fell lifelessly to her knees. The swordsman withdrew his blade as well, still trapped within her grip, and with her focus gone, her Aura and its protection fell with it. He dragged the sword out threw her palms, cutting thick gashes into her skin and muscle between her thumb and forefinger and down to the base of each hand. Her carved hands fell limply to the side, and Yang watched in frozen terror as the damaged, dead-eyed Blake was forcibly kicked in the back of the head, and her skull crashed hard into the pavement with an audible thud. Yang's world became to fade away into the darkness as the massive gangster deepened his chokehold on her, and through the blurriness, she saw the blood starting to drain out of Blake's torso and pool around her motionless body.

Her eyes traced back to the woman in charge, who despite the acts she had just committed, was still grinning all the same at her. as she wiped off the blood of her friend from the spike with a handkerchief and placed it back into her umbrella. The fight was over, and Yang had finally understood the circumstances she was trapped in, as well as the woman who dominated them. Calm. Collected. Didn't even break a sweat. Always in control, surrounded by those who were loyal to her until the bitter end. And at that moment, as Blake lied dying in the street and Yang felt the last of her oxygen leaving her body, she controlled the two of them as well.

The woman gave a small curtsy to Yang as a sign of cordiality, and then the boss of the Droogs suddenly reared back her umbrella and swung it hard towards her head.

Then, Yang drifted.


	40. Helping Those in Need

**Note: Well, we are now officially forty chapters into our long-running RWBY rewrite, and when we last left off, Blake and Yang were stuck in quite the dilemma. That's why we figured that there was no more perfect time to talk about race relations. Enjoy.**

* * *

On a Friday night, Ruby usually expected to not learn much of anything. Fridays had always signaled the start of the brief, three-day period in which she could let the stress melt from her body and allow herself to relax. Of course, she was never particularly good at that; even in elementary school, she was more likely to spend her weekends studying than playing video games, though she did a fair amount of that as well. Still, Fridays were never extremely busy days for her, and Friday nights specifically had always been occasions in which she did not have to worry about the problems of the world.

On that particular Friday night, it was the exact opposite. She had never recalled a situation in which she felt so much pressure doing something that was supposed to be fun. Velvet did, after all, say that their volunteer work was supposed to be fun, and judging by the young Huntress's bright smile, she was certainly enjoying herself. Ruby guessed there was certainly enjoyment to be had from doing her good deed, filling out plates of food for a seemingly endless line of hungry Faunus. The shelter was not the most technologically advanced, but it was sufficient enough to get the job done, with decent lighting fixtures and a large, open kitchen that gave her and the other volunteers plenty of space to move about, and a healthy air filtration system which kept a flow of cool air circulating throughout the building. It was actually much better than Ruby could have expected, but unfortunately for her, there were still two major factors leading to her state of duress: her constant learning and developed understanding of the plight of the Faunus, and her constant stress that her teammate in white would implode at any moment.

The former was primarily her own fault. She had always been naturally inquisitive, and she was well aware of her own flaws in her understanding of Faunus-related issues. Part of the reason she came to the shelter _was_ to learn. She thought asking Velvet about the Faunus would be her best bet, not because she thought she could learn more than by speaking to the Faunus directly, but simply because Velvet would be far more likely to open up to her. And open up she did, demonstrating her wide knowledge on the subject matter as she explained to Ruby and Weiss all of the facts and tidbits she knew about the more troubled of the planet's two intelligent races. The unfortunate part for Ruby was that this knowledge was equal parts fascinating and depressing.

Fact One: Faunus' bodily abnormalities were incredibly volatile. Everyone in Remnant knew that Faunus primarily took Human shapes that had adopted certain animal features. What most people, including Ruby, did not know were that there were hundreds of recorded different animals from which Faunus took these features from, and the type and severity of these abnormalities were difficult to predict even among seasoned geneticists. The traits were, to a large degree, hereditary in nature, and usually, the abnormalities of the child could be traced to the mother or father—cats produced cats, dogs produced dogs, etc. However, due to significant cultural factors cultivated over generations, Faunus very often reproduced with other Faunus with different animal traits, mixing up the gene pool enough so that a child could be hypothetically be born with the rabbit-like animal traits of their great grandfather, even if their parents both shared the traits of lions. This genetic mixing made it difficult for expecting Faunus parents to prepare for their children's future, though notably, a few solid facts were always certain. A child born between two parents of different sets of abnormalities would only ever adopt the traits of one—for example, a child of a tiger and a deer could grow stripes or antlers, but never both. Additionally, a child born between Human and Faunus would always adopt the Faunus characteristics of their parent, regardless of additional heritage.

Fact Two: Faunus' bodily abnormalities varied greatly in terms of functionality. Faunus, no matter their characteristics, had some important biological differences from Humans that always rang true. All of their senses were drastically more enhanced, barring some visual impairment, most Faunus had the ability to see in the dark. However, aside from these constants, Faunus traits usually differed significantly based on what their owner could actually do with them. Some traits, like claws, horns, and tails had the same functionality and use as they would in any normal animal, and they could be easily used by a Faunus in day-to-day life. However, for some Faunus, their animal characteristics were purely aesthetic. Most Faunus had a mixture of both. For example, a Faunus such as Zelina Zaripova likely could use the claws on her hands as a successful weapon to fend off those who would seek to harm her, though Ruby hoped she would never have to do that again. However, the dog ears, or more specifically, ear on top of her head could be moved around and felt, but was not connected to any auditory system inside her head, and therefore all of her actual hearing would be done by the human ears that still existed on the sides of her head. Of course, some traits had bigger impacts than just self-defense, which brought Ruby to her third fact.

Fact Three: Faunus digestive systems were very difficult to manage. Like anyone else who studied the animal kingdom back in school, Ruby was aware that different animals ate different things, and their diet was usually managed by what their stomachs could digest. Unfortunately for Faunus, their organs could be affected by their animal traits as well, meaning that food allergies and digestive problems were very commonplace in Faunus society, especially for a people that mostly had to live off the scraps of whatever they could get their hands on. It also meant that more work had to be put in by the shelter in order to provide meals that could be acceptable to all, and that meant Ruby found herself serving many Faunus a medley of roasted vegetables, while Weiss was handing out small loafs of previously baked bread, no bigger than the palm of her hand. And it was upon looking at Weiss's unamused face that Ruby remembered what her second source of anxiety was for that evening.

For what it was worth, Weiss was being very professional. She wasn't exactly pleased to be there, but she had learned her lessons from her encounter with Zelina Zaripova, and she performed her duties diligently enough for what was required of her. What helped ease the tension significantly, in Ruby's eyes at least, was her change of clothes. The two realized shortly before departing Beacon that it would likely be insulting for Weiss to show up to a homeless shelter wearing her gorgeously laced, intricately designed Atlasian dress, and since they were similar in size, Ruby allowed Weiss to borrow some of her more casual clothing. The result: the ice princess handing out stale bread in too tight jeans and a form-fitting red Beacon Academy T-shirt, as well as a pair of Ruby's running shoes that she never bothered to actually wear when she went out running. It made her look natural—or as natural as a girl with her skin tone could look wearing those colors—to the Faunus inside, and probably distracted them from realizing that the only people with such a hair and complexion were of Atlasian descent.

But there was always that fear of discovery, and that was what kept Ruby on her toes. The last thing she needed was a fight breaking out because her teammate couldn't keep her heritage a secret. In her opinion, the best way to avoid that was to make sure Weiss was on her best behavior, and while professionalism was to be admired, Ruby still would have preferred her to be a bit more optimistic.

"So, how are you?" Ruby asked gently, nudging Weiss as the heiress picked up a dry loaf with a pair of metal tongs and placed it atop the plate of the next in a seeming limitless line of Faunus. Her hands moved automatically, and she stared straight down at the tray of food on the counter in front of her, only deviating from her pattern in the event her tray ran dry and she had to fetch another from the tall oven behind her. She got her procedure down to a science: a Faunus would come up to her and nod, she would take the bread, put it on their plate, and wait for the

"As well as I can be," Weiss said politely.

Ruby gave a small smile of encouragement. "Come on. Isn't this fun?"

"What exactly is fun about giving people bread?" Weiss asked bluntly.

"Could you maybe talk a bit quieter?" Ruby said worriedly, eyeing carefully the Faunus that she was sure would not be happy to hear someone complaining about them.

"Why? Most of these people don't even speak the language," Weiss stated.

Fact Four: Many Faunus did not actually speak or understand the language that Ruby did. Throughout the history of Remnant, there had been many languages and dialects adapted by the various Kingdoms over the years, but in modern times, one could visit any place in the world and expect to hear some version of New Kingspeak, the official language of all four Kingdoms. While there were of course differences in certain phrases and accents across the many regions, all Humans practiced New Kingspeak, itself a modern and updated format of Grand Kingspeak, a language first originated in Mistral eight hundred years in the past. However, many Faunus spoke their own language—Zhoviyak—itself passed down through many years and cultivated across generations. More fortunate, affluent Faunus, such as those raised in Menagerie, or those with significant exposure to Human culture were often bilingual, but there existed a healthy portion of Faunus that only spoke in Zhoviyak. While it made communicating difficult, it wasn't impossible; Velvet was mostly fluent in Zhoviyak—which was why the activist was busy circling tables and checking in on others for assistance—and there was enough bleed between cultures to make Faunus and Humans understand basic exchanges with one another. Still, Weiss had enough confidence that she could say almost whatever she wanted, and the Faunus at the shelter would be none the wiser. That did not make it any less wrong or dismissive in Ruby's eyes.

"Can't you at least try to _smile_ more? It'll make them feel good," Ruby requested softly.

"Do you really think it's going to matter that much to anyone?" Weiss questioned again. "These people are desperate for food, and you really think they are going to care about whether or not we smile at them? Beggars can't be choosers."

"Really? Beggars?" Ruby said, more disappointed than she was angry. Of all the lessons she had hoped Weiss would learn, she hoped respect would have been one of them.

"That's what they are," Weiss explained. Bread. Tray. Next in line. Bread. Tray. Next in line. "Are you familiar with the expression about fishes versus fishing poles?"

Ruby sighed. "It's not like you can just do those things."

"Oh, please," Weiss groaned. "It's not even remotely that difficult. Plenty of them can find work and have done so already. Even with the laws in this Kingdom—even with the laws in _my_ Kingdom—there's always someone somewhere willing to give them work. Really, it's this self-defeating attitude that's half of the problem for why these people are here in the first place."

Ruby shook her head. She did not want to respond any further. She wanted to just go back to serving vegetables. Go back to putting smiles of the faces of those in need. It would make her feel a hundred times better than she actually did, but she knew that the trip wasn't about making her feel good. It was about fixing Weiss's behaviors and beliefs, and to do that, she needed to be willing to confront her about them. Fortunately for her, she was not alone. To Weiss's opposite side, Coco Adel had been listening carefully to their whole conversation in between dishing out ladles of tomato soup, and she made a point to click her tongue against the roof of her mouth, drawing the heiress's attention.

"Actually," she noted calmly, "a person's financial success in life tends to have very little to do with the individual amount of effort they put in."

Weiss looked at Coco in disgust. "Are you honestly saying that hard work doesn't matter at all? That we should just pretend it doesn't exist?"

"Nope, that stuff is important, too," Coco stated. "It's just that empirically speaking, the majority of a person's overall financial wellbeing can be directly traced back to generational wealth, or the amount of capital accumulated over a family's lifetime."

"I… how do you know this?" Ruby asked, confused.

Coco shrugged. "What? I read these sorts of studies all the time. You know, generational wealth, income gaps, earning markers. Do none of you follow the market?"

"Well, no," Ruby admitted. If she was honest, the very concept of economics made her want to vomit, and she was absolutely petrified for when the time in her life came for her to begin financial planning. "It's just that you don't seem like the person who would really be into this stuff."

"Why not?" Coco grinned. "I like four things: guns, glory, air guitars, and Geye's Economic Theory of Wealth Distribution. A girl's got to have a wide variety of tastes, right? By the way, if any of you ever need help organizing your stock portfolio, I'll totally help you out for a reasonable fee."

"I don't, uh, have any money," Ruby said sheepishly.

"That's why you need to invest now!" Coco declared. "What about you, Weiss? You have _tons_ of money to invest."

"How the hell did we even get here?" Weiss asked bitterly. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"Guys, cool it," Ruby muttered under her breath. She forced out a smile as she noticed that the Faunus in line began staring at them more nervously as the argument unfolded around her. She needed to stay calm. More importantly, _they_ needed to stay calm. But of course, she was talking about Weiss Schnee and Coco Adel. How could a disaster not be brewing?

"I mean, I'm just saying it's a teeny bit hypocritical for you to complain about handouts," Coco shrugged once more.

"I really do hope you are not saying what I think you're saying," Weiss said strictly. Coco was unphased, smiling politely at the Faunus in line as they uncomfortably accepted bowls of soup. There was no tension in her voice as she spoke, and her hands remained steady throughout, a sharp contrast to the girl next to her, whose temple began to throb as she sensed the words against her forming before they were ever spoken.

"Look, I was pretty poor growing up," Coco explained casually. "I had three older brothers, which meant a lot of bottomless stomachs to feed. Dad had to work two separate jobs just to make ends meet, and Mom could barely keep up with the workload. Our place was small and we ate mostly junk, but even cutting every cost we could we were still living paycheck-to-paycheck. I had a really bad school where no one of any value ever graduated, and I know I didn't make the stress on my parents any easier when I told them at eleven years old that I was going to become a Rockstar when I grew up."

"And yet, you made it," Weiss noted. "Despite how horrible your life was, you somehow overcame it."

"Yeah, and it was really hard," Coco continued. "I realized I wanted to become a Huntress way later than most people, and I had to put in a ton of work to catch up. My parents found a school that was willing to accept me despite my lack of training, and I had to completely change my life around to make it. My uncle owned a shooting range, and he came to my house every day to teach me how to use firearms correctly when I never fired a shot before in my life. We had to stop eating breakfast because we couldn't afford that and my tutors. In my old school, I was failing almost all of my classes, and if I didn't end up getting top marks in the Huntsman Academy, they said they were going to kick me out, so I pretty much blew up my sleep schedule. Every single day was like the biggest struggle of my entire life. The fact that I'm even standing here at all as the incomparable badass you see before you is pretty much a total miracle."

"Yes, you were faced with challenging circumstances, and you worked hard to overcome them," Weiss said with a nod. "You put faith in yourself and prevailed. You know, you're supposed to be telling me why I'm _wrong_ , Coco."

"I made it, sure. But you know what I keep thinking about?" Coco said studiously. "All of those people who lived in my neighborhood, in the same-sized houses, with the same-sized families, with the same-sized problems… _they_ didn't make it. Like, Beacon only accepts forty students every year, right? That's a lot of kids who dedicate their lives to something that ends up failing them. Beacon didn't have to accept me; there were probably tons of people who could have made better Huntresses than me. The same thing goes with my first school. They didn't have to accept me so late either. They could have turned a blind eye and it wouldn't have even bothered them. My father didn't have to pay for my tutor. My uncle didn't have to come to my house to train me. I mean, shit, if I had lived ten miles off in any direction, or I was born to a neighboring family, or hell, even if I was born one year later, I could work just as hard and I would probably still be sitting around wasting my life away in the suburbs. That's the thing I realized about life. It's all just a complete roll of the dice. I can brag about how hard I worked to get where I am, but honestly, ninety-nine percent of that was out of my control from the start.

"And that's the other thing: luck. I'm _lucky_ , right? I mean, yeah, my home life totally sucked, but at least I had a roof over my head. I had two parents and a bunch of siblings looking out for me if I ever got on the wrong path, always making sure I got fed. It wasn't great, but can you imagine if I was a Faunus? If I didn't even get any of that shit? They wouldn't have even considered letting me become a Huntress. They probably would have kicked me out of my home. You can talk about how they don't work hard enough, but God, how hard _should_ they have to work in the first place, you know? Like, giving them a fishing pole is good and all, but it's hard to fish when you are starving to death, and can you also maybe stop drying up the damn river and share the space with each other? Is that the analogy I'm even going with? _I don't know_. Analogies are stupid, man. My point is that for someone like _you_ , who has literally been handed everything on a silver platter from the day you were born, to complain that other people aren't working hard enough is pretty—"

"Oh, shut up," Weiss snapped loudly. Even through the intense clutter and bustle of the dining room, her voice could be heard loud and clear. She slammed town her metal tongs onto the pile of bread in front of her, and turned her attention fully towards Coco, as the leader of Team CFVY simply stirred around the tomato soup with her ladle, casting an expecting sideways glance at Weiss through her sunglasses. Ruby felt a chill run up her entire body, and she tried as hard as she could to shrink into the fabric of her cape.

"You want to let me finish or…" Coco said as Weiss's nostrils flared, and any semblance of calmness was very quickly washed clean from her features.

"No, because I know what you are going to say. All of you people say the same thing," Weiss declared. "Do you really think my life was perfect? Who the hell are you to tell me that I got off easy in life, that I never had to suffer to get where I am today? What gives you the right to diminish that?"

"I'm not diminishing your suffering," Coco said calmly, but Weiss's blood boiled further.

"Yes! Yes, you are! That is _exactly_ what you are doing," Weiss shouted. "You think that just because of my family name, I didn't have to go through all the same shit as everyone else. You fucking Valians and your insistence on trying to destroy and devalue everything… it's infuriating! I didn't come to this Kingdom just to get constantly told how much I suck for what my family is worth."

"I don't think you suck because of your family, or your money," Coco stated. "I mean… it certainly doesn't help though."

"Why, you arrogant little—"

"Okay! Time for a break!" Ruby suddenly declared. She hurriedly grabbed onto Weiss's hand and pulled her away from Coco, who did not so much as flinch as the sneering Weiss was dragged past her. Ruby's efforts hardly mattered. By the time she was willing to act, the line at the kitchen window was entirely held up, and nearly the entire dining room noticed the frustrated hissy fit that was being held behind the tray of bread. In addition to the Faunus in the dining room, the other volunteers noticed it, including a very stunned and semi-frightened Velvet out in the middle of the room, as well as their supervisors, who were marching angrily towards them with stern looks on their faces. Ruby closed her eyes in shame. She wanted to disappear from the room. They were supposed to be having a good time together. It wasn't supposed to break down so easily, but she had underestimated Weiss's stubbornness, as well as her temper. If they were lucky, they wouldn't be immediately kicked out. If they were lucky, they would be let off with a warning. Even then, however, Ruby knew that the source of their problems wouldn't be fixed, and judging by the anger on Weiss's face, she was starting to doubt it would ever be fixed.

Their trip was a mistake. She had only been gone for a few hours, and she already wished she was back at Beacon. She wished she was with Blake and Yang. They would have supported her. She hoped. At the very least, she knew wherever they were, they had to be better off than she was.

* * *

" _Wakey, wakey."_

Yang's eyes shot open, and she desperately gasped for air. Her raspy breaths echoed heavily throughout the room, and no matter where her manic eyes looked, all she saw was complete darkness. She could not keep her thoughts together. She lied face first on the concrete, and she struggled to push herself onto her knees, only to have her arms give out beneath her. She rolled onto her back, and it was only then did she feel a heavy weight around her throat. She reached up to her neck, wrapping her fingers around the thick, metal, mechanical collar that rubbed harshly against her skin, its interior fitted with thin needles that stuck sharply into her jugular. She scratched and clawed at it, frantically trying to remove it, but every touch against it sent pain shooting throughout her neck, and it refused to budge.

An Aura-Drain Collar. Military-grade equipment. Hard to get ahold of through improper channels. Impossible to break.

Yang hissed, blinking rapidly to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She looked down at her fingers first; Ember Celica had been stripped away by her captors, leaving her hands dirty and bare. They didn't bother to restrain her, but given the agony she felt every time she took in a shallow breath, it was clear they didn't need to. She looked around her surroundings, trying to find any marker or indication of where she was, but she saw nothing in the dark, empty room. Nothing, except for the girl. Lying five feet away from her, splayed out on her side, unconscious on the floor, was another girl, her face twitching in discomfort, her chest crudely wrapped in bandages to hold back the blood from pouring out of the deep wound cut through her body. Blake Belladonna. Alive. Barely.

And then, there was the other girl standing above her, the bottom of her boot rested atop Blake's face. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her sporty clothes and flowing, blonde hair matching Yang's own, and she looked down upon the struggling, tortured girl who shared her features with cold, mocking eyes, whose violent red glow shone brilliantly in the darkness.

 _"Hate to break this to you, Yang,"_ her double said, flashing a devious grin, _"but you're not dead yet."_


	41. Not Dead Yet

**Note: Okay, we don't get you people and how you review things. Every time we think we have a chapter that everyone is going to want to comment on, no one does, and every tie we write a chapter we think no one will be interested in, everyone wants to chime in all of a sudden. It's super weird. First Grimm encounter? Nothing. Yang writing a funny note to Jenny? Review. Climatic fight against CRDL? Nothing. Goofy fight against ATMC? Review. Blake gets stabbed through the chest? Nothing. Random discussion about wealth and economics? One of the most reviewed chapters we ever had. Like... we don't get what's driving the interaction here. We mean, it's cool and all. You keep doing you. Just... it's weird, man. Weird. Anyway, here's another chapter full of misery and despair. Enjoy.**

* * *

" _So, let's try to figure out exactly how fucked you are."_

Yang scratched at the collar around her throat, looking up at her doppelganger as she trembled in anger and pain on the floor. She had been stripped of not just her weapons and gloves, but as she clawed at her neck and flexed her toes, she realized her scarf, boots, and socks, leaving her arms and legs completely barren, exposed against the cold ground. Her clone did not seem to share her pain. If anything, she enjoyed seeing Yang suffer, and even as she talked in a rude, condescending tone, she still somehow managed to smile wickedly throughout.

" _For starters, you have absolutely no clue where you are,"_ her other explained. _"You're not even sure that you are still in Vale. I mean, you're probably somewhere in the city, but this room is pretty tiny and I don't see windows, so you're probably just trapped in a storage closet somewhere. It smells like shit, but that doesn't really give you any clues. On top of that, your gauntlets are probably lying in the street somewhere, or worse, they've been confiscated by the same person who wrapped that thing around your neck. Does that hurt, by the way? It looks like it hurts."_

Yang growled, tiredly pushing herself onto her elbows, only for another sharp twinge of pain to strike her and take her back to the ground.

" _Sounds like it hurts, too,"_ the clone snickered. _"Normally, you're pretty good with dealing pain, but wow, those needles plunging right into your bloodstream, draining and filtering your blood or whatever it is that it does… that looks really, really painful. And you can't even absorb that pain as part of your Semblance either to power out of here. So, in summary, it looks like on a scale of one-to-ten, you are super fucked."_

"Shut… shut up," Yang muttered. It took every ounce of energy she had to just say those few words, and already she felt like she was going to puke. Her throat was burning, but it wasn't just that; it was as if the collar was draining the energy from her, weakening her Soul, like the worst illness she ever felt had overcome her.

" _An Aura-Drain Collar,"_ the clone said knowingly, much to Yang's surprise. _"Remember that from civil affairs? That's Atlasian military equipment. Incredibly controversial because of its ability to counteract a person's Aura, often too much. The person who did that to you must have some connections. Of course, you never paid attention during civil affairs, but that's what I'm here for."_

Yang took a shallow breath—the only breath her collar afforded her—and again tried to push herself to her elbows. Her arms shook violently beneath her, but somehow, she managed to get herself up, looking her other more clearly in the eye.

"Who… are you?" Yang said in rasped whispers.

The clone rolled her eyes. _"Really, Yang? You can't figure that one out? I mean, we've been friends for almost your whole life, and you don't recognize me? Lame. Really fucking lame, Yang."_

"You aren't…" Yang stammered.

" _Real? Of course, I'm real. Real to you, anyway,"_ the clone said reassuringly. _"I mean, you're really breaking my heart. First, you pretend not to know who I am, and now you tell me that I don't exist? Damn, and after all of the times, I've helped you over the years. Figures; all this time and you still haven't even bothered to give me a name yet."_

Yang groaned. "Shut up."

The doppelganger merely chuckled. _"Oh, come on, lighten up a little. I'm just having fun. Remember fun? You're supposed to love having fun. You're Yang Xiao Long… you laugh wildly in the face of danger. I get that your Soul is literally being sucked from your body, but that's no excuse not to live a little. It's what makes you, well, you. And you're supposed to like who you truly are."_

Yang sighed, rubbing the exposed areas on her neck with her fingers, trying in vain to soothe the damaged skin beneath. "What are… you doing… here?"

" _Me? What about you?"_ said the other. _"Maybe instead of worrying about me, you should try to remember what it was that got you in this mess in the first place."_

What got her into that mess in the first place. It was hard to recall. Yang's memory was such a blur that she couldn't even remember the events from just hours in the past. The details were hazy, but through a few clear spots, she could recall the essentials. A trip to a warehouse. A fan. A fight with Blake on the side of the road. That woman, with pink hair and her umbrella.

" _Yeah, that's right,"_ the other nodded. _"Now, you're realizing it. That bitch with the top hat. You're probably at Droog headquarters right now, wherever the hell that's supposed to be. This is all your fault, Yang."_

"What?" Yang choked out. "How… is it…"

" _Think about it, dumbass,"_ the clone said, tapping the side of her skull. _"You were the one who agreed to come on this stupid mission in the first place. You were the one who stalled getting home because you were too upset to drive properly. And think about it: How did the Droogs find you in the city anyway. Jayah probably ratted you out the second you let him go. If you had just tossed him in the fan when you had the chance, none of this would happen. But now, here you are, collar around your neck, and you're probably going to end up getting tortured and killed by these bastards… all because you accepted a dangerous mission to impress a girl."_

The girl. Blake. The doppelganger's boot rested on Blake's skull, and she took great pleasure in rolling her foot back and forth across the wounded girl's cheek, grinding it into the floor. Her feature's twitched in her unconscious state, and it sent mixed signals to Yang's brain, only furthering her headache. Could she feel that? Was Yang somehow hurting her? No, it couldn't be; she must have been struggling with her old wounds. But the timing between the harsh scrapes of her clone's boot and the pained moans escaping from her dry lips were eerily perfect, and her other smiled at her confusion, relishing the moment she felt real in another's eyes. Yang didn't know how she found the strength to crawl over to Blake, but she managed, placing one hand after the other on the rough concrete floor, dragging her dead weight to the other side of the room despite how every slight contortion of her muscles made her feel like her arms were about to fall away from her shoulders. The other shrugged, removing her boot from Blake's skull just as Yang approached, giving her real self the blessed opportunity to gently caress Blake's cheek. Her skin was cold to the touch, and she barely reacted to Yang's presence as she purveyed the terrifying scope of Blake's injuries.

It was a miracle Blake was even still alive, though upon taking a closer look at the bandages wrapped around her torso, Yang quickly realized that it wasn't without assistance. The wrapping wasn't done with much care for her health, unfortunately, taped over her clothes which had been soaked red and stuck firmly to the thick wound beneath her ribs. Whoever had tended to her was only interested in the bare minimum to keep her alive, a thought that in and of itself shook Yang deeply. They placed a similar collar around her neck, and they had left her hands untouched, leaving the thick gashes on her palms glistening in the open air. The wounds were not wide, but they were deep and pooling with blood so deeply red that was almost as dark as her hair. Her legs and feet had similarly been stripped bare, exposing a few errant cuts that must have been made while they had dragged her carelessly into the room. And then, of course, there were the unseen injuries; a memory flashed in Yang's mind that Blake had taken two successive blows to the head, both a kick to the back and a brutal impact on the pavement to the side. Both were unprotected, and the thought of a brain injury suddenly seemed much more frightening than any cut or bruise.

Yang gently patted Blake on the cheek, a fearful burn starting to rise from her chest to her throat. "Blake, wake up. _Wake_ _up_. Can you hear me?" It took a moment for her to stir, but after a few panicked nudges, Blake's face contorted in discomfort, and a dull moan escaped her throat.

"What… huh?" She could barely utter more than a whisper, but even that sounded like the sweetest music Yang had ever heard.

"Blake, you need to wake up," Yang said worriedly, tapping her teammate as lightly as she could. Her yellow eyes groggily opened, coated in a thick gloss, and she somehow managed to roll herself to her back through a set of struggled gasps. She instinctively reached up to her head, but Yang grabbed her wrist and pushed it down to her side, trying to keep the dazed girl still.

"Where am I?" Blake asked, her voice cracked and low. "Where am… ugh…"

"It's okay. It's going to be okay," Yang said as sincerely as she could through her own damaged tones. Blake groaned again, trying once more to reach for her head, forcing Yang to hold her down more firmly.

"I am?" Blake asked dully. "I don't… where am I? Who…"

"Blake, it's all right. Stop moving," Yang instructed. Blake shifted beneath her, trying to raise her hands as if out of spite. She whimpered softly, wriggling her head around on the floor. Yang released her wrist for a moment to steady her. "Blake, I need you to talk to me. Do you remember what happened?"

Blake again whimpered, trying to shift away from Yang's hands.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"What?"

"Blake, please. Focus," Yang begged softly.

"I… I don't know…" Blake mumbled, her gaze slowly drifting around the room. She asked again quietly. "Where am I?"

"Look at me," Yang said desperately, centering Blake's vision to look directly upwards. She leaned over her friend and held up two fingers directly in front of her face. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Blake strained her eyes, barely even comprehending the question. It took another few seconds of prodding for her to finally give her solution to the infinitely complex riddle. "Four? What are you saying?"

A shudder ran down Yang's spine. She could feel the collar tightening around her neck as she fearfully changed questions, expecting the worst. "Can you tell me what your name is?"

The wounded girl closed her eyes, her breathing ragged as she searched her broken mind for the answer. A long moan escaped her lips, a terrible mixture of frustration and ache. Yang waited far longer than she ever wanted to, each passing second building more and more a sense of dread inside of her. She needed to hear Blake say her name, just once, just to let Yang know that she was going to be okay, just to give her any sense of relief.

Blake opened her eyes, her gaze distant. "Belle… Kataliana?"

Yang's heart sank. From her perch leaning against the wall, her other merely chuckled. _"Oh, shit. That's not a good sign, is it?"_

Blake again started groaning and shifting under Yang's weight, and Yang was barely strong enough to keep her down with her own weak limbs. Her clone laughed at her struggle, giggling with the utmost delight as the girl who was normally so strong that she could lift a car over her head could barely keep down what was at that point little more than a misbehaving child.

"Am… am I going to die?" Blake asked, the smallest hint of fear creeping through her voice.

"Of course not," Yang said quickly. If Blake was of the right mind, she would have noticed the haste in her voice. She would have scolded her for being such a bad liar. The bitter truth was that Yang had no idea if she would live or die. She had no idea what was in store for them. She could infer from the bandages that the woman who took them had intentions of keeping them alive for at least a little while longer, but if anything, that only scared her more. The number of terrible things that could be done to her while she was still conscious was limitless, though her mind immediately wandered to the most likely of possibilities. There were a hundred ways they could torture her, enough to rip a lifetime of information out of her and still have room to spare. But naturally, that wasn't the most worrisome possibility. It wasn't what left her petrified in the middle of the room; that was the _other_ thing they could do to them. She wasn't stupid. Two pretty Huntresses like them, two warriors normally so powerful removed of their ability to fight back, left alone in a pack of dozens of sadistic young men thirsty to express their power over them however they saw fit. She could already feel their hungry gazes, the ghosts of their hands pawing at her, groping her. Her stomach churned as a picture entered her mind of Blake being taken advantage of in her weakened state, and she could easily imagine being forced to watch as the Droogs took turns with them, including that bastard Jayah, who would be grinning with glee as he violated them. She didn't know how she would be able to handle that, how she could _live_ with that, and the very idea sent her body shivering and caused tears to well in her eyes.

And then there was her double, smiling and laughing at her misfortunes, because Yang's thoughts were also her own.

Yang collapsed into the center of the room, her head falling into her hands. She felt herself hyperventilating, and each of her short, stagnant breaths only amplified the stabbing impression in her neck. She had to think of a plan to get out of there, but what could she do? She had no Aura, no Semblance, no weapons, no Scroll, and no allies. Blake was the one who usually took the lead. Blake would have figured out a plan in no time. She was smart like that. Yang needed her guidance, her confidence. She needed Ruby, or Weiss, or fuck, even her father, anyone who could take control for her. She fought back most of her tears until, once more, she heard Blake cry in anguish, and it was only then did she realize how much she was still just a child, lost in a world she barely understood.

Time seemed to stretch into the darkness. Yang did not know how long it had was that she was listening to Blake's suffering when there was a sudden bang against the wall, and the entire sheet of paneling opened up, drowning her vision in an overwhelming light. She recoiled as shapes quickly filled the entranceway and descended onto her, grabbing onto her biceps and yanking her to her feet. One shape grabbed each arm, and she screamed in protest as a third stepped behind her and threw a thick, leathery sack over her head. The texture of dry fabric accosted her lips, muffling her wails, and Blake watched motionlessly as she was taken from their prison, kicking and screaming in vain. She was carried through a world of darkness, her bare toes clicking against the ground as the goons manhandled her, moving her without effort. Under any other circumstances, she could have overpowered them easily, but her limbs felt dilapidated and fragile, and even being carried by the Droogs sent spasms twitching up her shoulders. It was if every muscle betrayed her, and she wanted to lie down and slumber, maybe even to die, just to make the pain stop, just to take in a normal breath again. All the while, she could still hear her other snickering loud and clear, no matter how tightly the leather was wrapped around her skull.

" _You're such a fucking failure, Yang_. _"_

Without warning, after nearly two full minutes of agonizing footsteps, Yang was forced down into a chair, and her arms were held in place a thick rope was wrapped around them, binding them down. The seat was wooden, hard against her back, and her legs were soon bound as well to stop their incessant, almost unconscious flailing. Through the sack over her head, she thought she could hear the distant sound of music, and with tremendous rage, the sack was ripped off her head, and she was again blinded by an unbelievable light. She breathed faster, shorter as the world slowly began to fade back into focus, and her eyes danced around the new room searching for the inevitable devices that would be used to torture her to madness.

Except, as the room came into focus, she did not see any torture devices, or weapons, or stains of blood, or anything even remotely frightening. In fact, the first thing she noticed was just how clean everything was. The wide room was painted a perfect white, extending from the freshly patterned walls to the glistening marble floor, to the lush tablecloth set atop the circularly wooden structure at which Yang found herself sitting. A pair of tall candles were lit in its center, and Yang could see that she shared the table with two guests. The first, sat to her right, was the same gargantuan man that had nearly choked her to death earlier in the day, though he was vastly more refined sitting with them in his one-size-too-small tuxedo than he was when he was trying to kill her. The second, sat directly across from her, was the short woman with pink hair and the proud top hat that stabbed Blake through the chest with her umbrella, which was leaned comfortably along the edge of the table. In front of her, and her alone, was a plate of what Yang could only assume to be a healthy cut of prime rib steak, served with a side of mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, served with an accompanying glass of red wine. The succulent smell of garlic struck Yang's nostrils, and the contrast of it with the lingering stench of the leather sack churned her stomach. Fine music played in the background, completing the scene, and to Yang, it felt almost satirical just how elegant the entire dinner was set out to be. The woman daintily cut into the piece of beef, removing a bite-sized chunk and calmly popping it into her mouth, chewing without so much as glancing at the Huntress she held hostage. Yang, perplexed and hungry and tired and still in so much pain, opened her mouth but was cut off by the man in the tuxedo.

"You are in the presence of Neopolitan, Mistress of the Droogs," he stated, calm but authoritative. "I would highly recommend you don't speak unless spoken to."

Yang watched carefully as the woman known as Neopolitan swallowed her bite of steak, and promptly went to cut another without a word. She carved another slice off from the main body, dripping with juice, and she held it up to her lips only to glance upwards from her plate and finally seem to take notice of the girl watching her eat, a girl who looked like she had been through hell. Pausing with a glance almost as shocked as Yang's, she looked back down to her bite of steak, and then, without moving the rest of her body, extended her arm across the table, holding out the fork inches in front of Yang's face. The blonde did not react, only staring into Neopolitan's unmatching eyes, and after a few seconds of staring back, the boss slowly retracted her fork until it was in front of her of own lips, and then took a hearty bite out of the prime rib, never breaking eye contact as she chewed. When she finished, she lowered her utensils, and after another long, awkward moment between them, she raised her hands to eye-level and flashed a set of signals that flew past Yang's senses.

"Not hungry?"

"What?" Yang asked in surprise, turning to the man in the Tuxedo. He spoke again in the same tone as before.

"She's asking you if you aren't hungry," he clarified. Yang turned her attention back to Neopolitan, who casually nodded in agreement. Yang gulped, her voice shaky as she answered.

"No, ma'am."

Neopolitan smirked, and with a loving roll of her eyes, she flashed another quick set of hand signals that moved too fast for Yang to process.

"You don't have to be so formal," the man translated. "She prefers to be called Neo."

Neopolitan, or "Neo", nodded again, a devious little smirk plastered on her face. Valian Sign Language was something Yang was completely unfamiliar with, though the Droog Mistress did not seem to care very much as she continued on with her meal. She took another bite of her prime rib, holding the tip of the fork in between her teeth as she signed, flicking her tongue to send the opposite edge of the fork bobbing up and down.

"You know why it is that you're here," the tuxedoed man, who went by the name of Moose, translated. "The fact that you thought you would get away with it means you aren't very bright, although I guess that's why you're still in school. Right, Yang Xiao Long?"

Yang's heart skipped a beat, and the fear must have been visible on her face, as Neo giggled as she took the fork out of her mouth and continued signing.

"Of course, I know who you are. I know tons of stuff about you. You, and Blake Belladonna. Tracking you down as easy, and Beacon records aren't that hard to get into. But I'm a lot less curious about how I know so much about you, and much more curious about how you knew so much about us. For instance, how did you know where my men were being held?"

Yang held her tongue. Part of it was still fear. Neo, despite her charms, was still the very same woman that ruthlessly stabbed Blake without a second thought, that kidnapped her and dragged her into this entire mess. Failing to answer would likely incur the boss's wrath, but despite her short stature, Yang felt consumed by her shadow, and every twitch in her neck reminded her that one wrong move would likely bring about swift retribution. But part of it was also the knowledge of what would happen to the person from which she got that information in the first place. The Monkey King. Sun Wukong. She had promised him she would say nothing, and while the honorable part of her was fading into the pain, it still had enough of a grip on her senses to tell her to do the right thing and keep her mouth shut.

"Come on now. Be honest," Neo signed. "You really aren't in the position to lie to me."

Yang cast her gaze down to the table, desperately thinking over her options. She needed to remain calm, not just for her own sake, but for Blake. She had to think like her teammate. It was a faint hope, but it was the only thing she could cling onto to get out the mess she made. Act like Blake, and everything would be okay.

"We… tracked them through… Brooksbarrow," Yang sighed, barely holding her voice together.

"How?"

"Huntress training," Yang said as firmly as she could manage, the pain threatening to break her vocal cords apart. "Tracked their vehicle. Police records. We have… access to those as… students. Same for Huntsman Partnerships. How we… found them in Brooksbarrow."

Neo eyed her suspiciously. "And did you have any help?"

Yang reattached her gaze to the Droog Mistress, feeling the shorter woman burning a hole straight through her. She felt like she was going to collapse at any moment, and she had no idea how much her face may have been betraying her true feelings. She lacked Blake's ability to turn off her emotions, but she tried to remain as stone-faced as possible, and no matter how hard Neo tried to break through her, she remained firm.

"No," she answered simply. "Just the two of us."

Neo stared through her for another moment, waiting for the dam to burst, her discolored eyes as fierce as a lion's, before she gradually reclined in her seat, and gave a slow nod, seemingly satisfied with the answers given. Yang felt a wave of relief wash over her, but she said and showed nothing. She had to keep up the act until it was over. She had to stay strong like everyone always expected her to be. If she could just do that again, and again, and again, through each of Neo's questions, she might have had a chance to live through another day.

And then, Neo calmly raised her right hand, and with two fingers, she beckoned an unseen figure to come to the table. And it was with incredible ease that Yang's confidence immediately shattered as she heard footsteps coming up from behind her, and she saw a well-dressed Sun Wukong approach the table, accompanied by a pair of guards, who pulled up another seat for him to take at her left side. He was dressed like them, his suit filled in and fit prim and proper, and while he refused to look her in the slightest, Yang could see the exuberant life he had from earlier had drained from his cheeks, replaced by the faintest glimmer of remorse, only second to that of gratitude towards the woman he served loyally. Yang's eyes grew wide and her throat pinched so much that it threatened to close entirely, as the harrowing realization dawned on her that Jayah was not the one who betrayed her trust on that evening. Neo watched as her barriers fell with interest, and she picked up her steak knife, twirling the stainless steel in her fingers before suddenly and violently slamming it into the cut of prime rib on her plate, capturing Yang's attention back with a proud smirk.

"So," Neo signed casually, "would you like to answer that question again?"


	42. Captive

**Note: Hey, there everyone. We want to apologize for not updating sooner. We'll get straight to the point. This past week has been really rough on us. Not just in the sense of having to once again deal with life and responsibilities other than writing this story, but also about our writing in general. We don't know what exactly caused it, be it burnout or something else, but we've been dealing with a lot of doubts and anxiety over our writing this past week, to the point where we felt so terrible about our abilities as storytellers that we contemplated quitting writing altogether. Like, seriously, it was that bad, and again, it came completely out of the blue. We're better now, to the point where we can actually get in the spirit of writing again, but we think it's best that after this chapter we take a break for a few weeks to sort ourselves out. We know that a lot of you have really enjoyed the more frequent updates over the past month or so, but that just isn't going to be possible with our current mental state, and we think it's best to take a breather for now before it gets worse and we feel like giving up all over again. This will not impact any future plans for the direction of the story, just it's release timing. So again, we're really sorry about all of this, and we hope you'll be understanding.**

 **But, on the brighter side, we recently have been accepted into the RWBY Alternate History community! It's a community of stories that deal with alternate renditions of RWBY events like ours. So, while you're waiting for us to hopefully get our shit together, you have something to keep you entertained! That's something, huh? Also, Volume 6 was over, and we liked it! Hooray for positivity! Now, you can watch that positivity drain away as you read this next chapter. Enjoy.**

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Yang struggled against her restraints, grinding her teeth together as she thrashed futilely in her chair. The traitor Sun did not look her in the eye nor show any significant emotion, staring straight down at the tablecloth. If she had her strength, she would rip herself free from her bounds and strangle him on the spot, but as it stood, all she could do was glare at him, funneling her anger through her eyes as her captors watched from the opposite end of the table.

"You… you sold us out…" she growled.

"Technically, you sold yourselves out," Neo signed above her plate of steak and potatoes. "You have to be very careful who you talk to in this city. You never know who they work for."

"Why?" Yang choked. "Why would you work for them?"

"Hey, I'm a Faunus in the City of Vale," Sun said simply. "They offered me protection. Why wouldn't I?"

The answer should have been clear from the start, but Yang was not in the right state of mind to figure it out for herself. She was too busy dealing with the spasms in her neck and the frustration building inside of her to think of anything so complicated. Her thoughts were only tethered to reality when Neo yanked the knife out of the steak and began once again twirling it in her fingers. It was a reminder that there was something else very important for her to worry about—she was caught lying.

"You know, Sun has worked for us for a while," Neo explained. "Originally, we found him stealing food from Junior's nightclub, but we realized that a person of his charm can be very useful in getting information out of people, especially if they think they are the ones learning something."

"Tell Blake I'm sorry. It's nothing personal," Sun said. He sounded somewhat authentic, but Yang realized she probably would not be able to tell if he was not. She trembled with fury regardless. The fact that he said Blake's name with such ease when she dying on the floor, incapable of saying it herself, was an act of disrespect so cruel she wanted to rip his tail off and shove it down his throat. But Neo again would not let her prisoner be distracted, and upon seeing the flash of red in Yang's eyes she banged her knife against the table, drawing Yang's attention before calmly scooping up a forkful of mashed potatoes and daintily popping it into her mouth.

"Don't worry about him," Neo expressed. "Considering you lied to me, you should be far more worried about yourself."

Yang's entire body, once shaking in fear, suddenly tensed up. She was finally going to get answers, and every fiber of her being was filled with dread. Neo was smirking; just how much delight could that little bitch got from watching her squirm. She tried to put on another brave face, but after her last attempt at stoicism failed just moments before when Sun took a seat at the dinner table, Neo was not buying it for a second. Yang knew she wouldn't have either.

"So… what are you going… to do to me?" Yang asked hesitantly. "Torture me? Rape me? Drown me? You might as well… tell me now." To her surprise, Neo's smirk dropped, and the Droog Mistress rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Well, here's the thing," she signed carefully. " _Roman Torchwick_ would have done that. I like Roman. I think he's a brilliant man. But he could be very, unnecessarily mean to his victims. If he were still here, he would waterboard you, break your legs and throw you to the boys without a second thought. And, when I started rebuilding this organization in his absence, I wanted to make sure I honored his legacy as much as possible. I should probably do what I can to keep up his reputation. But…"

She dropped her silverware and reclined in her seat. "Maybe it's because your young, or maybe it's a womanly thing, but I don't really feel comfortable doing that to you. I want the Droogs to be a well-respected organization, and our public image should not be that of a group that performs such nasty actions. Also, I like to be effective with my resources, and torture isn't really beneficial for getting any information."

Neo slumped comfortably in her chair, and Yang eyed her worriedly. In a sense, she should have been relieved at her captor's words, but that smirk and calm demeanor petrified her. She knew there had to be some cath. The voices in her head told her that Neo was planning something worse.

"Are you just… going to kill me, then?" Yang asked shakily. Neo pondered the question for a moment jokingly, rocking back and forth in her chair.

"Of course, not," Neo signed simply. "I didn't keep you alive this long just to kill you now. That should be obvious."

"Then why are we here? Prisoners?" Yang asked desperately. Neo shook her head.

"No. I find how people are most useful to me, and after seeing you in action, I can say you can serve a very unique purpose."

"In action?" Yang questioned.

"In the warehouse," signed Neo. "Did you think that we wouldn't install hidden cameras in that room? The second you left the nightclub, Sun told us where you were headed, and we were watching on our Scrolls for you to burst heroically onto the scene. Now, admittedly, I was disappointed at first when you refused to kill Jayah when he was groveling at your feet. I figured you were too weak to make use of, which is why we tried to kill you the moment we laid eyes on you. But, I think it was after stabbing your friend through the heart did I realize that you showed a lot of spirit, and I may have initially underestimated you."

"How?"

"Because you can serve their purpose far more than those men ever could," Neo claimed. "But first, do you know why we kept Jayah locked up the way we did?"

Jayah? Yang hadn't a clue. The man had almost completely slipped from her thoughts by that point, and the reasons behind his captivity were of such little importance to her that she never really considered them deeply in the first place. She thought they were held in the warehouse for their own protection.

"So, here's the story," Neo explained. "A few weeks ago, six of my men from the country arrive here and tell me that a few teenage Huntresses kick their asses around Brooksbarrow. They specifically mentioned a seductive blond; guess who that is? Now, they wanted protection, but as you could imagine, I couldn't have so many pathetic men dragging down my ranks, but fortunately for me, an opportunity came along in which they could make themselves useful. Not as soldiers, or as thieves, or as guards, but as…" Neo paused, kicking up her legs on the table and flashing a devious grin, "merchandise."

The word sent a stillness through the air. Yang felt the room grow cold, her short, staggered breaths burning in her chest more brilliantly than ever. Even the relaxing music that dominated the room seemed to fade away as the full reality of what was to become of her crashed down. She wasn't a prisoner in Neo's eyes, but instead, her life and memories and emotion were reduced to nothing but mere inventory. She had not even considered the possibility, and the sheer dehumanization hit her harder than almost anything else that day, worse than Blake's struggles, worse than the pain rippling throughout her muscles, worse than any tortured fantasy she could dream up. The tears came again, quietly falling down her cheeks as the full extent of her worthlessness consumed her.

"Don't be so sad," Neo waved. "As Sun said, it's nothing personal. I'm just trying to conduct my business. You tried to interfere with that business when you damaged my goods, so I hope you find it reasonable that I believe you should replace them. Of course, two is less than six, but since you and your friend are Huntresses, she should be more than willing to accept you as substitutes."

Yang's mind barely functioned coherently, but she was still able to pick up on a word or two. "She?"

"Your buyer," Neo explained. "She's been in contact with us for the past few weeks about trading arms for Human prisoners, and the samples she has given us have been wonderful. I don't know what she plans to do to you, but apparently, she finds it quite valuable based on what she's willing to give up. She is a nasty woman, though, so it can't be very good. Oh, and I didn't mention the best part," Neo sat up straight in her hair, beaming with excitement. "The sale is set for _tomorrow_."

Yang held back the urge to vomit. She shuddered, falling forward in her seat as Neo continued rattling on about her impending deal. "It really is perfect timing. We set up the date a long time ago, but you show up right on our doorstep hours before we're ready to sell. It's like a sign from fate itself, not that I believe in those things anyway. I just hope your friend doesn't die before we get those arms because they're Atlasian technology, and it would be a shame if—"

"Please don't."

Neo paused, taken aback by Yang's sudden plea. The girl couldn't even look her in the eye, but even with her face down, it was clear to both of them just how far she had fallen. A few hours before, she had been confidently kicking ass across Vale, indestructible, and now, at that moment at the table, she was nothing more than a sobbing, shriveling mess, all of her training and strength been drained from her, leaving her the shell of a girl who had gotten too far in over her head.

"Please… I can't…" she begged. Her voice was breaking apart at the seams. She couldn't live with being sold away, sent far to another Kingdom where she would never be heard from again. She had too much left to do, too much of her life to waste away. Her other self taunted her from her fortress within her mind, but she didn't care about her insults anymore, or anything else other than her pathetic need for survival. "I'll do anything… please…"

"I'm sorry, but you should have thought about that before you attacked my men," Neo signed dismissively.

"I'm begging you," Yang cried. "Sun, please—"

Neo shoved her hand in front of the Faunus before he could respond, and with a few quick brushes of her fingers, she ushered him out of the room. He stood up without a word, casting only a guilty, sideways glance at Yang before abandoning her with her captor and their translator. Yang could not even muster up the strength to hate him anymore.

"Don't try to use him against me," Neo warned. "The boy is loyal."

"Loyal?" Yang asked, a glimmer of hope breaking across her tongue. "I can be loyal. Please… I'll work for you. I'll do jobs, hits, anything… just don't…" She felt gross like she was practically selling herself already, but she knew she didn't have a choice. She had to hope that something would break through Neo's bubble, get into that top-hat capped head of hers that she had more value than being a negotiating point. Unfortunately, Neo rolled her eyes, uninterested, and helped herself to another cut of steak before reflexively reclining back in her seat.

"You are going to have to accept the consequences for what you have done," Neo signed. "You can't get out of this."

Yang's cheeks burned from her tears, but Neo showed little remorse for her. What was done was done, and as it became increasingly clear that she wasn't going to be able to talk or fight her way out of her problems, it also became increasingly difficult to control her emotions. She was already blubbering onto the tablecloth, her messy hair falling down her face, and it was only a matter of time before her words failed her entirely. The music was all but gone, and the whispers in the back of her head only became more prevalent, spending every second repeating her failures as a Huntress, as a fighter, and as a friend. She didn't know how much longer it would be before Neo brushed her away just like Sun, sending her back to her cell to await her sale. But, she knew that she still had Neo's attention, and though her rationality had disappeared entirely, she still had one final, desperate chance to make things right.

"Then just use me," she choked out.

Neo raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "You?"

"It was my idea… to attack you," Yang sputtered. "Blake… had nothing to do… with this. I forced her to come along… to help me. If you should hurt anyone, please…"

"Why should I care about intent?" Neo asked. "She broke just as much of my merchandise as you. It's only natural she should share the blame."

"She doesn't deserve this," Yang sobbed. "She needs to get to a hospital. She needs help… you need to help her."

"I don't think her health is our problem either way," Neo suggested, but Yang's pleas were endless, and she poured everything she had left into her tears.

"You can't let her die," she moaned. "I'll take everything… a thousand times over, just let her… let her go back to Beacon. She won't say anything. She won't, I promise. I promise with everything, but you have to fix her. She's hurting so badly and if she doesn't get better… I can't let her suffer like this. I can't, and if you have mercy, you'll give it… at least to her. Just her. Please. Neo, _I'm begging you_."

The Droog Mistress, for once, did not have an immediate retort. Perhaps it was because she was taking the request seriously, or maybe it was simply that watching Yang's descent from proud Huntress to slobbering fool triggered a sense of joy in her little black heart, but she kept her head tilted back and watched carefully the crying teenager weeping at the dinner table. Yang prayed silently for the former to be true. She was not a very religious person, nor had she ever been one. To her knowledge, no one in her family kept much faith. Her dad lost his belief in everything after Summer's passing, and Ruby, if she did believe in any sort of higher power or divine fate, kept those feelings to herself. But with her eyes finally dry after running out of tears, and the smirking woman watching her every twitch and broken sob, she prayed to any God that would be willing to hear her. Her prayers cut through the cloud of whispers that permeated her thoughts, and she reached out to a holy nature that would provide her a miracle, the only chance she had left of escape.

" _Why are you doing this?"_

A voice cut through the fog to reach her, clear as crystal. The shock silenced her for a second, but only for that second, until its familiarity pierced her like a knife through the heart. She peered up from the table, her eyes red not just from her tears, but from the overpowering emotions that controlled her, and she saw her other standing casually behind Neo's seat, checking her nails in the brilliance of the candlelight.

" _No, seriously, what do you think you are going to get out of this?"_ the other asked calmly. _"You know she'll say no, so why bother? Are you trying to prove something to yourself, that after spending all of your life fucking people over, making mistake after mistake, you can finally perform a noble act so that you can make up for it? Is that it—just a self-test to see how much of a real Huntress you can be? That's pretty pathetic, Yang. Even for you."_ Suddenly, a grin flashed across her clone's face, and she hurriedly moved across the room, slinking to the table and taking up Sun's empty seat. She crossed her arms on the table and rested her head sideways upon them, peering at Yang through her hair. _"Oh, or is that it? You're still trying to impress Blake. Act chivalrous enough that she'll forget that this was all your fault in the first place once she gets herself together? If she gets herself together, of course. You think that at least then she'll be able to keep a happy memory of you as anything other than the worthless piece of crap you actually are. I'll be totally honest. Watching you these past few minutes should have made me really happy, but really… it's just been kind of sad. Like, on a personal level. Does that make sense?"_ The other snickered. _"Oh, fuck me… does it even matter?"_

Apparently, it did not. Nothing did. After a few seconds of meaningless and mostly superficial contemplation, Neo waved to her translator, the man named Moose, and he stood up from his seat and approached Yang with the leather sack that had grown accustomed to her facial features. She recoiled at once, but there was nothing she could do except scream as the leather became reacquainted with her head, and she felt her arms being unshackled from the chair as she was manhandled out of the room. She was too weak to even kick her legs in resistance, and after a few moments, too weak to scream either, as her voice collapsed entirely. Her other, however, kept talking loud and clear in her head.

" _Well, look at that. Another failure. Who would have guessed?"_

Yang was carried lifelessly through the halls, her world masked in darkness, her only source of comfort being her other's cruel taunts.

" _But hey, do you want to hear something positive?"_ asked the other. _"I've been doing a lot of soul searching, and I've figured that since we finally know each other a little better, I might as well give myself a name. I've been really hard at work trying to think of something good, but I believe I've finally settled on something."_

Yang tried to shut the voice out of her head, but it was pointless. Like everything else.

" _At first, I was going to go with Dark Yang,"_ explained the other. _"That was a bit too hokey, though. Same with Shadow Yang, or anything like that. Way too on the nose. So then, I tried to dissociate myself from you as much as possible. Lana. Blaze. Gorge. Anything I could think of, but the problem was that none of them spoke to me, or rather, spoke to us."_

Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

" _But then, it kind of hit me,"_ the other said with delight. _"Since we're together now, I should have a name that you are comfortable with, or better yet, something that you would be proud of. And I know you, Yang. Better than anyone else. I know how that stupid, childish mind works like the back of our hand. My true name, my identity, my very being became so fucking obvious at that point that I was embarrassed for not thinking of it sooner. Have you figured it out yet? You would find it very funny. See, because while you are Yang Xiao Long, that easily means that my name must be—"_

The bag was stripped from Yang's head, and she was forcibly thrown back into her cell, landing hard on her stomach as her captors closed the door behind her, giving her only a fraction of a moment to appreciate the light. Blake still lied where she was left, unmoved from her position near the wall, her eyes glazed over and soft, weak moans escaping her lips. Yang struggled to her hands and knees, gasping for air, but as she looked up, she saw her other kneeling right in front of her, a beacon of power within the darkness, and she realized that despite the fact they were literally duplicates, she had never actually noticed just _how similar_ they looked to each other, brutal smile, red eyes and all.

" _Yin."_


	43. It's 1 AM and We Can't Stop Fighting

**An update: Hey, everyone. What's up? It's been a while, hasn't it? That's why you are so surprised to see this update happening right now. We figured we should probably let you know what's going on with us. Well, good news, we're going to start writing the story again! Honestly, the two-month break was exactly what we needed, because we feel super refreshed. It was a great time too. Got to play Kingdom Hearts 3. Got all the trophies. Didn't even take that long.**

 **So, yeah, though, what we really wanted to say was: thank you. Thank you to everyone who supported this story and encouraged us to write further. This past year or so has been really, really fun because of how much we can put into this story that we can't put into others. From sibling drama to crazy over-the-top fight scenes to political discussions to absurdist comedy to gang warfare, this has been a fantastic experience getting to write this, and we hope to keep this going as long there are ideas to strive for.**

 **Which brings us to our another announcement: we're halfway done through this arc, which also means we're halfway done through Volume I. Hooray. We didn't even realize when we stopped that we hit the halfway point, but yeah, there's still plenty more to come, so stay tuned. We're still pretty busy, so don't expect super regular updates like through December and January. Also, this chapter is a bit short because we had to get back into the groove of things. But yeah, we're back! And hopefully, we don't go away again for long periods of time!**

 **Seriously, thank you for sticking with us. Glad to be back. Enjoy.**

* * *

When Ruby originally came up with the idea of bringing Weiss to an intervention for her problematic beliefs, she did not imagine that it would be so literal. She had pictured it more symbolic than anything else; a casual weekend in which exposure to the suffering of a more systemically oppressed class of people would slowly change her mind so that her damaging beliefs would be erased, or at the very least, challenged. She did _not_ imagine it as how it currently was: she, Weiss, Coco and Velvet sitting in a circle in a well-furnished hotel room at one in the morning, bitterly hashing out their differences that, as it turned out, had almost nothing to do with Faunus.

How did it all go so wrong? It was a combination of things. Weiss being too stubborn to actively participate in her own rehabilitation, Coco's surprisingly on-hand knowledge of economic theories that Ruby had never heard of, and then, of course, there was the fact that they were nearly kicked out of their volunteer work because the workers at the shelter determined that they were making too much chaos to perform their duties effectively. The only reason they were able to stay for the rest of the weekend was Velvet's desperate begging and insistence that the girls would not cause any more trouble for the rest of their time spent volunteering. The supervisors reluctantly agreed on the condition that they were faithful to their responsibilities, though they were sent packing for the rest of the day to waste away their time in their cushy hotel room. The supervisors were, at the very least, kind enough to give them a place to stay for the weekend, and the hotel came with numerous benefits. It was within walking distance from the shelter, the beds were made with fresh linen sheets, and the television came equipped with sixty channels. It was a far cry from the dreadful motel they had to rest at in Brooksbarrow, and it had the added bonus of them likely not getting attacked by Droogs anytime soon. In fact, if Ruby was in the right state of mind, she might have found some sort of rich irony in the fact that a homeless shelter struggling for money to feed its guests was more than willing to shill out high-priced luxuries for her and the other Human volunteers. She might have even found it thought-provoking, and she might have even reflected on the greater societal circumstances of such actions.

However, she was not in the state of mind, because she had to watch Weiss and Coco glare at each other from opposite sides of their circle, arms and legs crossed and tongues ready to lash out at each other. Well, more accurately, _Weiss's_ arms and legs were crossed and her tongue was ready to lash out. Coco was reclining comfortably, leaning back using her arms as support, her legs stretched out in front of her, her tongue in no sort of mood for lashing. She was frustratingly calm with the entire ordeal, but then again, Ruby probably should not have been too annoyed because Coco was calm about everything. The girl could get nearly eaten by a monster and break a sweat, so it was of no surprise that she thought she could easily handle a privileged racist without too much trouble, especially since she believed that Ruby and Velvet would back her up. And she was likely correct about the latter, but as for Ruby herself, that question was a bit more complicated.

Ruby was not exactly sure what her relationship with Weiss was on a day-to-day basis. It was starting to become a recurring theme. Every time she thought she was making progress something came along and stole all of her hope. Although, this particular roadblock was a peculiar one because she was not entirely sure how much fault she should place in Weiss, to begin with. Coco had not been entirely helpful in egging on her worst tendencies, and she was a tad bit abrasive. Still, it was nothing compared to Weiss's usual problems, and she was, after all, trying to make Weiss more tolerant of those around her. It was a difficult procedure maintaining an air of calm between the pair, but Ruby was aware that she could not exactly straddle the middle line for the whole weekend. If anything was going to get done in fixing Weiss's views or their relationship, she needed to pick a side, settle all differences by dawn, and get on with the rest of their volunteer work without another hitch.

Weiss sneered. "So, are you going to apologize or not?"

Ruby sighed. It wasn't going to be easy.

"What specifically would you like me to apologize for?" asked Coco. Her sunglasses did a fine job of covering her face, but Ruby could still see the shadowy image of her rolling her eyes.

"I don't know. Everything?" Weiss stated. "How about you start by apologizing for how incredibly disrespectful you were?"

" _I_ was incredibly disrespectful?" Coco asked with surprise. "Last time I checked, I wasn't the one throwing a hissy fit in front of a bunch of homeless people when you were supposed to be polite."

"I was being very polite. The only reason I was upset was that you provoked me," Weiss explained defensively. However, Coco responded doubtingly.

"Is that it? I mean, I was standing right next to you for the whole dinner service. You weren't exactly charming the locals."

"So now we've changed our stance," Weiss argued. "Two seconds ago, you said I wasn't polite, but now you're telling me that I wasn't charming. Which is it? Polite or charming? Because I was only asked to be one of those things, so I don't know what you were expecting."

Ruby groaned. "Weiss, can you please not?"

"What? She's the one who can't make up her mind," Weiss snapped.

"Look, this isn't getting us anywhere," Ruby said hurriedly. "Can we just try to have a discussion in good faith? I don't want to have to do this for the whole weekend."

Weiss cast a sideways glance into Ruby's desperate, silver puppy dog eyes, and she huffed in frustration. "Fine. Whatever."

"Okay then," Ruby said calmingly. "Weiss, what I think Coco is trying to say is that during dinner service, you could have tried a little harder to be warmer to the Faunus you were helping. I know you were trying to be polite, but you did look like you would rather be anywhere else."

"That's because I would," Weiss said simply.

"Yes, I know," Ruby said patiently, "but you could have _looked_ like it, at least."

"Why?" Weiss questioned. "To make the Faunus feel better? I don't lie to people. That's not how I do things. If the Faunus are going to break into tears just because someone isn't smiling at them, that's not my problem."

Coco shrugged. "Boy, I see why you're so popular."

"Shove it," Weiss scoffed.

"Please, please, calm down for a moment," Ruby insisted. "Let's try to understand each other."

"I think I understand her perfectly fine," Weiss sneered. "She thinks I'm a self-absorbed bitch who was given everything on a silver platter, so why should my opinion matter about anything?"

"Her words, not mine," Coco said with a sly grin. Her response earned her a surprise nudge from Velvet, who glared at her disappointedly.

"Behave. This has been hard enough of a day for me already," the Faunus activist begged, and it was only after hearing the concern from her friend and partner did Coco hide her grin and nod in compliance.

"Sorry," she said regretfully. "To both of you. I don't want to stay up all night doing this either. Let's just… get this freaking thing over with."

"Glad we agree on something," Weiss nodded in kind.

"Wonderful! Let's agree on more things," Ruby said desperately.

"Right," Velvet added, picking up on the conversation. "Like, we can all agree that we generally want better things for the Faunus, correct? We want them to be happy?"

"Absolutely."

"Sure."

"Then, Weiss," Velvet continued, "if we agree that we should want to make the Faunus happy, we can then agree that we should avoid performing actions that would lead to Faunus getting harmed, like actively being mean and making them upset. Do you agree with that?"

"Well, again, we have different definitions of what harm is," Weiss stated. "You think that me making them upset is harmful, but you what I think is actively harmful to the Faunus? Thinking so little of them that you have to tell them to their face that all of their problems in the world are because of someone else. I think that lying them and pushing this victim mentality onto them—that just because they were born with disadvantages means they're doomed to be oppressed for the rest of their lives—is only going to stop them from fixing themselves. They need to learn responsibility, that if they just shut up and work hard enough, they may actually be able to prove that they have worth."

"Well, _again,_ " Coco cleared her throat, "it's super hypocritical hearing you of all people telling others they need to work harder when all you've done for your whole life is collect Dust money from the slave labor of others. Or do you not call them slaves because that's too offensive?"

Ruby felt her stomach churn. Her head collapsed into her hands. Ten seconds. Could they not stop being the worst for at least ten freaking seconds?

"Wow, look, you're changing topics," Weiss said accusingly. "You can't handle that I'm telling the truth, and now you're trying to backpedal."

"I can handle plenty," Coco shrugged. "I mean, you're the one that's shouting, Princess."

"Don't you call me a Princess!"

"I mean, there are some _other_ things I can call you…"

"You irritating little slut—"

Weiss shifted forward, ready to lunge and strangle the relaxed CFVY leader. Ruby reacted quickly, jumping out of her seated position and grabbing onto Weiss's wrist before the heiress could do any harm. Velvet watched with shame and Coco with mild amusement as Ruby dragged Weiss away from the circle, the older girl kicking and screaming and cursing up a storm as she was carried to the bathroom, her face bright red. Ruby slammed the door behind them, locking them within the cramped, pristine white space, and with Weiss face-to-face, she threw up her arms in frustration.

"What is wrong with you?" Ruby asked, exacerbated.

"What's wrong with me? Do you not see how she's antagonizing me?" Weiss said bitterly.

"You're antagonizing each other!" Ruby said, tugging at the ends of her hair. "You seriously can't just sit down and come to an understanding like normal people? Agh… I _hate_ politics so much! It's literally just people arguing nonstop about everything."

"Well, I'm sorry it's so hard for you," Weiss sneered, "but for those of us who are constantly being attacked, we don't have the luxury of ignoring these conversations."

"I don't really see how she's attacking you."

"Really? You don't know?"

Ruby did know. That was what was making it tricky. Despite trying to emphasize the plight of the Faunus and shutting down Weiss's bigotry, she had to come to some revelation that in some regard, Weiss had a point. Yes, she was given a life of comfort that Ruby could never dream of, and the privileges and opportunities her family gave her were likely immense, but with Soul Lapse, everything likely also came with a struggle. Ruby did not know the specifics, and it was likely the heiress would never tell her, but the scars lacing her body and the cybernetics buried beneath her skin were an indication there was a lot of pain felt throughout her childhood. And, in a way, she could understand why Weiss would defend that pain. It was a part of her, as much as her scars, and when Coco told her that pain didn't exist, Ruby could see how that hurt. But it was, again, complicated. There were the Faunus and their struggles, and Coco and hers, and just thinking about it made Ruby want to throw herself under her covers and just pretend the whole world did not exist for a few hours. It was enough to calm her down at the moment, and Weiss took the opportunity to lambast her.

"I thought you wanted to be my friend?"

Ruby sighed. "Yeah, I do, but—"

"Then why aren't you taking my side in this?" Weiss asked harshly. "Isn't that something friends do: support each other?"

"It is—"

"Then support me. Help me. Do _something_ ," Weiss stated. "You know that I'm trying to be better. I obviously don't hate the Faunus if I agreed to come along here; I'm not a monster, Ruby. If she's just going to hate me no matter what I do, then what's even the point?"

"I know, I know, I get it," Ruby stammered awkwardly. "It's just… I know it was really hard for you to become a Huntress, and Coco shouldn't try to dismiss all of your hard work. But this trip isn't about you. It's about the Faunus. And I think it's important to note that your ability to turn your life around seems to be much more of an exception rather than a rule."

"I…" Weiss grimaced. She shuffled on her feet, angrily crossing her arms over her chest, averting her gaze from Ruby.

"And I'm not trying to attack you," Ruby promised. "I get that this means a lot to you. All I want is for you to understand why people might be upset from some of the things that you are saying—and I get that you don't care. You've said that plenty of times. But I don't think being rude to Faunus is going to convince them of anything. Can you just… at least agree with that?"

Weiss remained silent for a moment, continuing to shift in her stance, until she finally muttered, "Fine. I guess."

"Okay. Now I have a suggestion," Ruby claimed, delicately placing a hand on Weiss's shoulder. "What if you told Coco about your disability?"

Weiss's face quickly soured. "No way."

"I'm serious," said Ruby. "Coco can be abrasive, but she means well. If you just explain to her what you've been through, I'm sure she'll soften up. She'll probably apologize—"

"I don't care if she would. She doesn't deserve to know," Weiss said forcefully. "That is _incredibly_ personal, and I'm not giving her an excuse to pity me. I don't even want _you_ to know that about me. It shouldn't have to matter. Not like it does." Weiss groaned, and shrugged Ruby's hand off her shoulder, turning to leave the bathroom. "Look, I'm just going to tell Coco that I'm sorry for yelling earlier, and then we can just pretend everything is fine for the weekend. I'll shut up and be polite and smile to the Faunus if you want me to. Whatever it takes to stop this drama."

"Weiss—" Ruby reached out to her, but Weiss cut her off with a huff.

"Don't. I don't care," Weiss said bluntly. "It's one o'clock in the morning, and we have to get up early tomorrow, and I'm still wearing this stupid T-shirt, and I just… _can't_ , right now. I'm tired of being the bad guy to everyone. Good night."

Weiss exited the bathroom, slamming the door behind her almost as forcefully as when they entered. Ruby just stood there in the cramped room by herself, motionless. She glanced over to the mirror lining the side wall, and she saw for the first time all day how worn out she was. The stress from the fighting and almost getting kicked out aged her ten years, and she brushed away strands of her hair as she listened to the murmurs coming from the main room. She heard the rumblings of Weiss's bullshit apology, and only a fraction of Coco's response, the details of which she could not parse whatsoever. Reflexively, she pulled out her Scroll and began mindlessly flipping through her contacts until she stumbled upon a picture of a face smiling too close to the camera, with long, messy, yellow hair flowing behind her. If anyone was going to be awake at one in the morning, Ruby reasoned, it would be her sister. Even when Ruby forced her into her schedule, she could never get her sister to sleep at a reasonable hour. Hopeful, Ruby dialed the number and pressed the Scroll to her ear, waiting as the buzzing passed. Once. Twice. Three times. Four. Then, a voice answered.

"Hey, it's Yang. Can't pick up right now. Leave a message. Byyyyyyyeeeeee."

Ruby sighed, hanging up the phone before she was given a chance to respond. Still no answer. Nothing from Blake either. What the hell were they doing that was so important? Partying? Training? A small voice in the back of her mind told her something was wrong, but she pushed that away quickly. It was Yang and Blake. They could be trouble, sure, but they could handle themselves. As long as they were together, they could survive anything.

* * *

Neo's goons roughly threw the girls in the back of the van. The blonde continued to thrash weakly, screaming obscenities at no one in particular, while the dark-haired one lied motionless, the only indications of life being the vague groans that escaped her lips. As the goons shut the door to the van, Neo smiled to herself. They had to leave before dawn broke if they wanted to make it on time. Sure, an airship would have been faster, but she preferred the inconspicuousness of the three-car caravan. Besides, it wasn't like they were in a hurry; they didn't have any perishable cargo. At least, they shouldn't have. It would probably be fine. Or not. Probably though.

The Droog Mistress hopped into the passenger seat of the first van, resting her umbrella on her lap. In the back were a squad of her goons, ready to take care of any trouble they came across. In the second van were her prized Huntresses, and in the third, were six more pieces of captive inventory. She came to the conclusion before they left that Jayah and his thugs likely wouldn't be much use to them anyway, being all broken and bloody and whatnot. She figured she might as well throw them in the deal as a bonus to get some goodwill. What could she say? She was a good faith negotiator. Her interpreter Moose entered the driver's seat, and he tapped on the back wall, checking in with her men. She heard Sun Wukong reply that they were ready to head out, and with an approving nod, she gave the order to head out into the city.

Their destination: Forever Fall. An infinite sea of bright red trees. A bit far for a trade-off, but secure. Neo was not entirely sure who this "Mrs. Glass" was, or what it was she was planning on doing with her captives. But it didn't matter. Whoever she was, Neo hoped she liked her presents, and she also could not wait to get her own.


	44. Mrs Glass

**Note: Hey, everyone. We're back once again! It's time to check in on Yang (and Yin) and Blake again, who we know you've been really curious about these past few months. Well, wait no more! We've been planning this chapter for a long time because it's time to take this arc to a whole new level. Lots of stuff happens in this chapter, including introducing a character we're sure everyone was dying to see us cover eventually, and because of that, we're incredibly curious to let you know what you think of everything, so be sure to let us know in the usual places. Thank you, and enjoy.**

* * *

"Where… where are my ears?"

Yang's eyes darted around the darkness, searching for the source of the voice. Every few seconds for the past hour, it would softly call out to her, and every few seconds, she would have to remember if the voice was real or not. It was nearly impossible to keep track of reality in her surroundings, with the endless stretch of darkness before her, and the low humming of an engine off to her side, and the glide of the wheels along pavement beneath her stomach. She knew she was in a van, heading somewhere far away from the place she once knew, which admittedly, was not much of a place, to begin with. Keeping track of the specifics, however, was impossible, not just for the endless void she found herself in, but also because of the throbbing pain in her bones, and the muscle spasms that hit her like a jolt of electricity every time she attempted to move. And then, of course, there was the matter of whether or not the voice speaking to her was from her friend, also dumped and abandoned in the back of the van, or from that monster that dwelled inside her own thoughts.

Yin. That was the name it chose for itself? It? She? Her? She couldn't really tell what Yin was, other than spiteful, and hurtful, and cruel. The red-eyed thing came to speak with her occasionally, to mock her, to grandstand, to claim boastfully that if _she_ were in charge of their body, they never would have been captured. She loved teasing Yang about the unknown possibilities that awaited her outside of that van, and she especially loved speaking in excruciating details the many ways that Yang's body could be dissected and tortured, ways that Yang was not even aware she was knowledgeable of, despite the clear evidence to the contrary. But, even more so than that, Yin seemed to love reminding Yang that for as many terrible things were going to happen to her, none of them would be nearly as painful as the guilt of knowing she had dragged Blake along with her, and like everything the doppelganger said, it was truthful and bitter.

Her only respite—and a slight one at that—was knowing that Blake may not have even been fully aware of what was happening. Her ravings were the clear indication of such, which was why she had been moaning about her "ears" for somewhere close to an hour. Yang could hear her fumbling around in the dark, her weakened, sliced hands moving around her head, searching in vain despite the tremendous pain such an act must have brought her. When Yang was in touch with reality, it wasn't easy to help her. She was unrestrained but could not move, and her responses were mostly left unanswered, or when they were, with resistance. At first, Yang tried to remind Blake that, yes, her ears were very much still attached to her head, but after a while, Yang had managed to figure out that "ears" was actually a codeword for "bow", and that Blake had been patting the top of her head, looking for her favorite accessory. In another instance, it may have been funny. Cute even. But Blake's panicked cries only stuck like daggers, and when she began to quietly sob, it only made the sting more apparent.

"They… they cut my ears off," Blake choked. "Why would they… why would they do that?"

"Blake, they didn't. You're fine," Yang muttered hopelessly. Of course, Blake wasn't fine. Aside from the ramblings caused by a powerful concussion and the gashes in her palms, there was the poorly bandaged wound piercing through her midsection. Yet, Blake did not even seem to notice it, too busy lost in her fog to realize the threat to her life just beneath her ribs.

"I can't feel them… why can't I feel them?" Blake asked. "Why can't I feel them? Why can't I feel them?"

"Blake, _please_ ," Yang begged weakly. "You need to calm down."

" _Yeah, Blake, shut up!"_ another voice shouted suddenly. Yang didn't know when her other appeared; only that in a place where they were not before, two deep red orbs permeated through the darkness. _"Jeez, at this rate, they'll cut your tongue out first. Ooh, Yang, won't that be fun to watch? Them cutting Blake's tongue out? Just get a pair of rusty pliers, hold her still and then—snip!"_

Yang slammed her palms into her ears to block out the voice. It didn't work. It never worked, but she tried anyway. She couldn't deal with it. Not again.

" _I guess you have a point,"_ Yin said with a passive sigh. _"It would be a waste. All of the wonderful things that tongue could do. Am I right, or am I right?"_

"Shut… shut up," Yang growled at the darkness, but Yin rolled her eyes.

" _Oh, please. What else are we going to do but talk to ourselves? We've been in this car ride for hours,"_ Yin explained. _"And you know, you can act like I'm a monster—"_

"You are," Yang sneered, deriving a chuckle from her other.

" _But the thing is,"_ Yin continued, _"I can only say these things because you've already thought of them. If they didn't exist in your mind, they can't exist in mine. That's sort of how this whole thing works. Haven't you seen any movies?"_

"This… isn't—"

" _I know, it's not a movie,"_ Yin groaned. _"If it were a movie, you'd probably have actually gotten the girl instead of delivering her to a human trafficker. You know, that's something we always hated about movies, right? You watch one of those films, and you wonder how the characters make such stupid decisions time after time. But after watching your masterclass in terrible decision-making, I'm starting to think we judged those films too harshly. The sad truth is in life, people fuck up all the time and make bad decisions based on dumb emotional impulses. We're not creatures of logic, no matter how much we pretend to be. Really, all that's different between you and a film protagonist is the severity of everything. They have a bad date because they comically lie about their income, while you get your kidneys sold on the black market because you wanted to sleep with your teammate. Are you following me?"_

Yang pressed her forehead deep into the floor of the van. "What are you even… talking about?"

" _I don't know!"_ Yin admitted, jumping up to her feet. She paraded around the cramped space, and Yang could hear every one of her footsteps echoing clear as day _. "I'm just talking out of my ass because I'm bored, and we've literally been driving for hours in this stupid van. Seriously, when the fuck are we going to get there?"_

Suddenly, Yang felt a sudden lurch, and the van quickly slowed to a stop. Yin looked around excitedly, a smile creeping on to her face as she began to jump up and down enthusiastically.

" _Holy shit, finally!"_ she shouted. _"I totally called that one!"_ The other jumped and danced with great joy, and as she danced so proudly despite—or perhaps, because of—the girls' agony, Yang heard the sound of a dozen footsteps approach the van, walking around its side. As Yin continued her celebration of nothing important, the door to the back of the van suddenly swung open, and a flood of light crashed into the void, blinding Yang in overwhelming light. When she came to, her other was gone, and in the doorway stood Neopolitan, twirling her umbrella in her grasp, flanked by Sun in his filthy white dress shirt, and Moose, casually tucking the keys to the van into his pockets. Another five well-dressed men stood behind them, and with a snap of Neo's fingers, they reached into the van and dragged the girls outside into the wilderness.

Yang could barely stand, having to be held up by Neo's thugs, but at least she could make out her surroundings better. The three vans had parked on a stretch of highway that was long disserted by most normal people. To her right, Yang could see an endless stretch of trees, bright red in color, resting on a long, flat plane of rich, garnet-colored soil. To her left, just at the other end of the road, was the edge of a cliff face, descending twenty or thirty feet down into another pit of trees which extended for miles on end, separated from her by only a thin guardrail that would smash under the slightest pressure. The sun was beating down on her from above; it was nearly noon, judging from its position in the clear sky, which meant they had traveled an impossibly long way from home. Ruby and Weiss, Beacon, her father—they were all a distant memory, and she tried her best not to reflect on the fact it was increasingly likely she would never see them again.

"Move out, boys," Moose ordered. "Let's make this quick. We want to be back in Vale by sundown."

The Droogs followed the order like clockwork, and with little effort, they dragged Yang and Blake into the forest, Moose and Sun leading the way. Behind them, Yang heard Jayah and his men marching solemnly. Were they aware of what was happening to them? Were they tied up? Hell, could some of them even walk after what she put them through the night before? She did not have the strength to look behind her to check. However, she could see Blake out of the corner of her eye, slung over the shoulder of one of the men in suits. He seemed annoyed, not by the burden of carrying her, but by the thin trickle of blood dripping onto his outfit. Yang clenched her fist instinctively, and she heard Yin giggle.

" _Don't worry. We'll kill all of them. Don't you worry."_

This time, Yang had difficulty in determining if her other was mocking her. But, if she wasn't, she agreed. She did want to kill him. She had no purpose trying to hide it anymore. She wanted to kill every single person near her. Neo. Moose. The bastard Faunus who sold them out. Jayah and his men. The thugs that treated them like property. She wanted to crush their skulls in with her fists, bludgeon them until their blood seeped into her knuckles. So what if that was everything Yin wanted? So what if it was a pointless fantasy? She wanted it. It was the only thing she would want ever again. Make them pay. Save Blake, and then, as violently as possible, make them pay.

The Droogs trudged deeper and deeper into the forest, Neo strolling casually behind, striding with her umbrella blocking out the sun as it burst through the red trees. The forest was different from the others Yang had been too; not broken and decrepit like the Emerald Forest, but not frail and dry like the woods out in Brooksbarrow. It was rich, lively, smelling something like cherry and full of subtle, vibrant noises, like the distant babbling of a river or the soft chirping of cardinals. Some of the trees leaked a dark, purple liquid, and its pungent, fruity aroma was so strong Yang could smell it even far away and with her senses rattled. It was peaceful, isolated, one of the last natural havens from Humanity's expansionist conquest. A strange place to make a weapon's deal, but in its own way, perfect. No one would be able to interrupt them. No one could save them.

Like all forests seemed to do, the trees gave way to a clearing, and it was a five-minute walk from the vans from when the Droogs entered the clearing, in which the bright red leaves littered the ground so thoroughly that the soil became impossible to see underneath. It did not take long for Yang to see that they were not alone. The Droogs had come with numbers: Neo had brought the two of them plus the other six prisoners, and nine men in total to accompany them in case something went wrong. However, as they stared out to the other side of the clearing, Yang only saw one person waiting for them. They had come bearing gifts; in the center of the clearing were five large metallic crates, undoubtedly filled with the advanced weaponry. Their owner waited just behind them, resting on a throne made of massive shards of glass which erupted from the earth.

In a way, she was beautiful and refined. Her figure was slim, and she wore a long, well-fitted crimson dress with gold accents that ran down the length of her arms and legs. A thin slit was cut into the hip, and her shoulders were exposed, revealing pale flesh that glistened in the sunlight. Her hair as like oil, and she wrapped it in a loose ponytail that rested across her shoulder, allowing some of the strands to fall into her face, or at least, what should have been her face. Instead, she wore a mask; a dark, leathery thing which hugged her cheeks and wrapped fully around her head, its surface painted with the twisted visage of a monstrous, curved and toothy grin that took up the majority of her face. Her left eye was covered not just by her hair, but also another painted image of an animalistic eye, red and white and hungry. Her right eye was exposed, however, revealing a soft, auburn orb that watched them with deep curiosity. And yet, somehow, her most striking features were the veins of glass running throughout her body, tracing down her shoulders and up her neck underneath her mask, and even through her sleeve and down to her hands, where her index fingers had both been replaced with crystalline replicas of human appendages, the same substance that she rested casually upon as she beckoned the Droogs over to her and spoke in a soft, sultry, and yet, utterly bored tone of voice.

"Come."

The vision of the woman seemed to shock the Droogs into silence, and for a long moment, none of them dared approach her. However, with a huff of determination, Neo stepped forward, grabbing onto Moose's hand to bring him along with her towards the center of the clearing. She stormed directly up to the crates, maintaining firm eye contact with the woman and red, and when she was in place, she snapped her fingers and Moose picked her up to place her upon his shoulders. Neo grinned with confidence as she crossed her legs on Moose's shoulders, towering above the woman's throne and everyone else in the clearing, and signed with an easygoing swagger that only Neopolitan could have.

"Mrs. Glass, I presume?"

The woman in red stared up at the Droog Mistress, unshaken but nevertheless amused by the game of one-upmanship. She carefully rose to her feet and took another step forward until she was right up against the other side of the crate separating the parties.

"Neopolitan," Mrs. Glass said simply. "Good to finally meet you."

"Likewise," signed Neo. "You won't believe the drive it took to get here."

"It's a long way to Vale," Mrs. Glass said, every word steeped in disinterest. "But it will all be worth it, I'm sure."

"Yes, I hope so," Neo signed. "Now, I know we usually stick around for a while and exchange pleasantries, but I'm afraid we don't really have time to dilly-dally. So, I'd rather we get this meeting over with as soon as possible."

"Fair enough," said Mrs. Glass. "Wasting time is of no interest to me either. Not when I have tests to run."

"Wonderful," signed Neo, hopping down from her lackey's shoulder. "So, Moose, if you would so kindly?" Her muscle and translator nodded in agreement and knelt down to reach toward one of the crates. However, before he could touch it, Mrs. Glass stepped forward and placed her foot upon its surface. It allowed Yang to see further that the entirety of her leg below her knee was also made of more glass, shaped into a thick stiletto heel.

"Wait," Mrs. Glass said suddenly. "I want to see the test subjects first."

"Oh, yes, of course," Neo signed understandingly. She smiled softly. "You're a woman of character. You've heard of the Droogs' reputation and want to make sure that you're getting a solid deal. While I know your concern, I can assure you that I am a woman of character as well, and I treat my business partners with respect. Boys, get over here!" On command, Yang was picked up off her feet again and carried into the center of the clearing along with the other captives. Without caution, they were thrown into the pile of leaves, which barely did a thing to cushion their fall. It was only then could Yang see that Jayah and his men were hogtied, wriggling around in a mad panic, barely even taking notice of her existence. Her first thought was to notice how young he was. Was she really feeling bad for him? It was cruel what the hours had done to them. The eight prisoners all lied on the ground helplessly with the other ten Droogs behind them acting as a barrier between them and escape, as Mrs. Glass studied them all curiously, tilting her head.

"These are my test subjects?" she asked cautiously. The way she said it made Yang's skin crawl. Test subjects. Like they were rats. Somehow, it was even worse than what Neo had called them. Mrs. Glass calmly stepped past the Droog Mistress and Moose and walked over to Jayah, standing over him and gently prodding at him with her glass toes. "This one looks weak."

"It makes it harder for him to escape," Neo reasoned.

"It also makes it harder to not pull him apart during the test," Mrs. Glass remarked.

"That's why we brought six of them," Neo insisted quickly. "And all you ever requested was as many people we could get our hand on. You never mentioned anything about their condition."

"That's true," Mrs. Glass noted. "I was rather careless in my request. However—" She turned her attention to Blake, and slowly approached her, causing Yang's heart to drop into her stomach. "This one is looking particularly anemic."

"Her? Don't worry," said Neo. "She and the blonde—they're Huntresses. Beacon students. We caught them last night, and we decided that you might have some use for them. Consider it a bonus."

"A bonus, hmm?" Mrs. Glass asked, squatting in front of Blake. The poor thing could not even keep her gaze focused on the masked woman in front of her, and she appeared more confused than terrified by her circumstances. Mrs. Glass traced her gaze down Blake's chest until she came to the bandages below her ribs, and with one of her glass fingers, she reached forward and delicately placed her digit against Blake's wound.

Then, she pushed in, and Blake's features came to life as she let out a violent howl in pain.

"Stop… stop it!" Yang found herself screaming. Fascinated, Mrs. Glass pushed in further, allowing the Huntress's cries to envelop the forest. Yang felt a fire light inside of her, and she had no idea where the strength to push herself to her feet came from when she suddenly jumped and lunged at the woman in red. Neo reacted quickly, moving towards the hidden blade in her umbrella, but Glass was faster. Before Yang could move two feet, Mrs. Glass slammed her palm into Yang's face and forced her into the ground. Yang struggled briefly, thrashing under her captor's grip, until she heard a _schlick_ , and a shard of glass suddenly appeared in front of her, dangling in the air less than an inch above her eye. She instantly froze, and the masked woman squinted at her.

"Look at you. Quite the fighter," she said, nearly monotone. "However, I would recommend you save your energy for the test. With that collar, you'll need as much as you can spare."

The shard of glass dissipated, and the masked woman removed her hand from Yang's face, allowing the young Huntress to breathe. She lied there stunned as Mrs. Glass returned to her feet without delay, returning to Neo as if nothing had ever happened.

"Are they to your liking?" Neo asked hopefully.

"They'll do fine," Mrs. Glass shrugged. Whether there was any honesty in her voice was beyond Yang's comprehension. "Now, would you like to see what I have for you?" Neo clasped her hands together, rubbing them in anticipation and nodding with a big, childish grin on her face. Mrs. Glass, taking that as a yes, carefully reached down to unclasp the locks on the metal crate, and with a thrust, she opened up the box. Yang could not see directly in the box from her position on the floor, but she did see Neo's eyes grow wide with shock and amazement. The Droog Mistress reached into the crate, and what she pulled out was one of the most cartoonish massive Atlasian plasma cannons Yang had ever seen in her life. The barrel was nearly as long as Neo was tall, and it was attached to a body that pulsed and glowed with energy and was almost bigger than Yang herself. It was so overwhelmingly huge that Neo could barely lift the thing, hoisting it up to her waist only to nearly topple herself over backward from the effort. Moose and the other Droogs watched with appreciative silence as their leader tried, again and again, to lift the weapon by herself, growling and struggling as Mrs. Glass studied expressionlessly as always.

" _Test."_

Yang was snapped out of her gaze by the voice scratching at her mind. Neo, after over a minute of effort, finally managed to pick the Atlasian plasma cannon off the ground, leading to a nod of approval from her translator. But instead of focusing on that, the other repeated herself in Yang's mind.

" _Test. Did you notice that?"_

"What?" Yang asked in a whisper. Neo squared her stance, trying to balance herself with the weapon tucked into her arms, and gestured towards the tree line, asking silently to Mrs. Glass if it was as okay to test-fire.

" _Focus, dammit. Something's not right here,"_ Yin stated. _"Test. She said you had to save your energy for the test, right?"_

"And?" Yang muttered. The others weren't paying attention to her, all transfixed on watching the very tiny woman shoot the very large firearm.

" _And? Isn't it weird she didn't say 'tests'? As in, plural? She only mentioned one test. And she did it to you and Jayah, so it was clearly intentional. She's only planning on performing one test."_

"So… what?" Yang questioned. Yin wasn't making any sense, although none of anything was making any sense. She was being sold as property and her friend was bleeding out two feet from her, but all anyone could focus on was the short woman in the top hat being told by the woman in the red dress and psychotic mass how to fire an experimental deadly weapon at a row of innocent trees.

" _Pay attention, idiot! Think for one second,"_ Yin instructed. _"Why is that Glass lady all alone? There's twenty of us, but only one of her. If she's taking us somewhere, don't you think she'd need some help doing it? Wouldn't she need some help getting those weapons here? There was only one road leading to this place, and I don't remember seeing another car, so how did she even get here? And hell, how did this woman even get those weapons in the first place?"_

"Are you ready?" Mrs. Glass asked politely. Neo had finally managed to maneuver the gun into a position where she could actually aim it, and she pointed the barrel towards a far row of trees, narrowing her gaze and gently adjusting her finger on the trigger. She stuck her tongue out and nodded enthusiastically, prepping herself to fire. With one final adjustment, she pulled hard on the trigger, and the cannon suddenly came to life in her arms, whirring, and humming until a giant bolt of blue plasma rocketed out of the barrel, speeding towards the tree line. On impact, it exploded, and so did every bright red tree in a twelve-foot radius, bursting spontaneously into a mess of splintered wood. Neo was knocked back off her feet, sent flying back into Moose's awaiting arms, but she bore the biggest open-mouth smile on her face, like a kid being told they could buy everything in the candy store.

" _And why did she not care about Blake's injury?"_ Yin asked. _"Wouldn't she be worried that her test subject could die in a matter of hours?"_

As the pieces started to click together in Yang's mind, Mrs. Glass approached her new business partner. "Are you satisfied?"

Neo nodded furiously, and Moose translated for her. "Very much so."

"Good to know," Mrs. Glass explained. "What you're holding is an Atlasian 5800 Series Igniter Plasma Rifle, a prototype weapon designed by the Atlas military. An acquaintance of mine was able to retrieve it for me. It's still rather early in the developmental stage; at present, it can only fire twice before needing to be reloaded with an ignition cell. It's currently the only of its model type in existence."

" _Seriously, Yang, think,"_ Yin begged. _"Why would she not care if one of her test subjects died in a few hours unless she didn't have to wait a few hours to use her? What if the time wasn't relevant because she didn't need to use any of it?"_

Neo casually laid the weapon down by her feet and continued to sign. "So, how many ignition cells do we have?"

"One," Mrs. Glass responded casually. She turned away from the Droog Mistress and started back towards her throne. "As far as I know, the only one that was ever developed is already loaded inside that weapon. I'm afraid you can't get any more."

It took a brief second for Neo to process exactly what she was hearing, and when she did, her bright, proud smile began to dissipate. "Then… I can only fire that weapon one more time? Ever?"

"That seems to be the case," Mrs. Glass shrugged. She sat down on her glass throne, reclining against one of its crystalline armrests. Neo cocked her head, only growing more confused by the second.

"But that's useless," Neo protested. "Are all of the weapons this useless?"

"There aren't any other weapons," Mrs. Glass admitted simply. "Those other cases are empty. Feel free to check for yourselves."

Neo, not fully sure what to respond with, had no other inclination but to follow Glass's orders, and as she did as she was told, as she opened up another crate only to stare blankly at the empty contents within, followed by the empty contents within another, and another, and as the slow revelation of what was actually happening began to dawn on her, and the other Droogs started to take notice that something was wrong, drawing their swords and guns, and as Mrs. Glass relaxed so effortlessly on the throne that bore her namesake, Yang finally managed to understand exactly what her double was trying to get at. She understood why time or distance to the test didn't seem to matter.

"I have to admit, I am feeling a little guilty leaving you with so little," Mrs. Glass stated, though her tone was as remorseless as ever. "After all, you did go through the effort to bring me _so many_ test subjects."

Neo looked up from the last empty crate at the masked woman on the throne, and for a moment, a good, long moment, she seemed genuinely stunned at what she was hearing. Her eyes locked with the women who so casually bragged about lying to her, and then, with a sudden fury, her face turned sour, and she pulled a handgun out of her back pocket, firing rapidly at the woman in red. It did not matter; as soon as Neo reached for her weapon, Mrs. Glass flicked her wrist, and a thick pane of the substance erupted from the earth, absorbing all of Neo's shots. Neo angrily emptied her clip into the glass wall, and with righteous anger, she pointed at Moose and then at the plasma cannon, and her translator understood. He picked up the weapon with far more ease than she could, and ran to her side, pointing the prototype at the thick pane separating Mrs. Glass from the rest of the Droogs. Yet, before he could fire at her, she raised her hand in passive defense.

"I wouldn't waste that shot if I were you," she claimed. "You're going to need it."

Moose dropped the weapon, unsure of himself. Neo pointed repeatedly at the glass wall, even going so far as to run at him and try to snatch the weapon out of his grasp, but he held his ground. Yang knew he could sense the same thing she could, the ever-growing sense of dread that was befalling all of them. The thing that caused her fellow captives to look around their surroundings more nervously with each passing second, the thing that made Sun quietly creep to the back of the wall of thugs, doubting everything that had led him to that point. The same thing that made even Blake briefly return to reality, and gaze lifelessly at the sky above.

Then, they heard it. Above.

It was distant at first, but it grew louder incredibly quickly, and it came from the sun so fast that no one could see it coming before it was right on top of them. The dark shape swooped down with a harsh, corrupted cry, and Yang could only briefly see it grab Jayah and disappear back into the sky with a terrible scream before a huge gust of wind took her away, sending her and Blake tumbling away from the other prisoners. The other Droogs were blasted from the shape as well, falling in every direction. Neo was launched back first into the thick plane of glass, and she slid to the bottom, her umbrella sailing far away. Moose was knocked against the crates, and most others were sent back towards the trees, unable to stop themselves against the ailing windstorm. When Yang finally rolled to a stop, she barely was able to catch Blake as they smacked against each other, and she instinctively darted her eyes up towards the sky, searching for the thing that had suddenly attacked them. She thought she saw something, a shadow falling limply towards the earth. But, as it crashed in front of her, she saw not a monster, but only Jayah's severed head, rolling to a stop mere feet in front of her, his face permanently transfixed in mortal terror.

" _Yang. Run."_

The instructions were pointless. Yang didn't have the strength to run. As she wrapped her arms around Blake for protection, she watched in anguish as the others came to just in time to see the shape return. Neo stirred against the wall, shaking her head in confusion and throwing off her top hat, rummaging her hands through her hair. Her thoughts were of betrayal and fury and vengeance, but before she could act on any of those thoughts, a thick stream of black liquid fell onto her shoulder, and she stared straight up at the top of the wall, and her face went numb. Perched atop the wall was a bird, at least ten feet high, sharp talons piercing through the bulletproof glass. Its body was shaped almost like a raven, but its feathers were darker than any shadow in all of Remnant. Thick, boney white plating lined its face with gaps for eyes a shade deeper red than the entire forest combined. Its long beak was lined with razor-sharp teeth, and from its mouth, it drip, drip, dripped a steady stream of back fluid onto Neo's shoulder, as it stared directly back at her with its dead, Soulless gaze.

The beast jerked its head, and then it opened its tremendous wingspan, and let out a horrible, distorted human scream that rang louder than any scream Yang had ever heard. In a strange way, through all of the madness and the pain, she thought it sounded a bit like Jayah.

The woman in the glass further relaxed in her chair. It was time to begin the test.


	45. Bird

**Note: Hey, it's us! Remember us? Remember when we took a two-month break and then promised we'd start writing again, and then took _another_ two-month break unaccounted for no reason? Well, we're back, and we're sorry. We had no intentions to stop writing, but we got really caught up in our personal lives and could not find any time for it at all. On the bright side, that meant we had plenty of ideas. On the negative side, it meant we also left you in the middle of a giant cliffhanger. Anyway, it's summer, so we should have a few months of uninterupted chapter-y goodness ahead of you. And hey, maybe we can finally finish this damn story arc before the earth gets destroyed. As always, comments and yelling are always welcome. And of course, enjoy.**

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For a moment, the air was still. Then, all hell broke loose.

Neo recoiled in panic, but as the bird peered down at her, dripping black fluid onto her shoulder, the Droogs opened fire. There was an infinite hail of bullets, and the bird drew back, screeching as the gunfire bounced harmlessly off its skin. Yang instinctively covered Blake's ears and buried her head as a constant stream of thunder rang out in front of her. The gunfire was relentless, and Yang could feel her body tensing up as the terror overpowered whatever primal urges she had that told her to flee. The bird let out another deeply human cry, and she felt the omen of death around her. She was powerless.

In the line of fire, Moose raised the plasma rifle and took aim at the bird, his normally steel-like grip shaken by the sight of the monstrosity. He hesitated for a moment; whether to aim his only shot more carefully or because he was paralyzed by fear, even he could not tell. It did not matter. The bird gave one tremendous flap of its wings, and a sudden gust of wind knocked him off balance, sending him as well as the rest of the Droogs sailing backward. The rifle flew from his grasp and skidded across the floor, kicking up dry red leaves as it carved its path. The bird's head twitched incessantly, its bloody gaze switching amongst its many targets from its perched position atop the wall of glass. And, from behind that perch, Mrs. Glass watched the chaos unfold with dull enthusiasm.

"You know in hindsight, you probably shouldn't have wasted one of those shots," she called to Neo, who glanced backward at her with fury in her gaze. Mrs. Glass made nothing of it. "Now, now, don't let your anger towards me take over. There are far more important things you should worry about."

That was true, and while it was always impossible for anyone to know what was going on inside of Neo's head, at that moment there appeared to be a sudden switch. A sudden glance back up at the bird. A glint of rebellion in her eye. The Droog Mistress determined that she was not going to be killed on that day. No one would be allowed to take her life, most certainly not that lying witch made of glass. The Grimm looked down at her once more, opening its toothy maw in preparation to lunge, and that was when Neo acted. She popped another clip from her waistcoat into her pistol, and unloaded quickly into its gaping jaws, her bullets sticking into its fleshy inner walls. The bird stuttered and then jammed down its head, but Neo rolled out of the way, causing its beak to embed itself in the earth below. She jumped to her feet and printed towards the plasma rifle, moving as fast as her little legs could take her, pushed on by the bird struggled cries. She knew she only had one opportunity, so she had to make it count. Pray that the rifle took out the monster, and then deal with Mrs. Glass. She had to be perfect. She jumped onto the rifle and rolled back to her feet, allowing her momentum to lift the gun for her, and she turned around preparing to take aim at her trapped target.

Only the Grimm was not trapped at all. The adrenaline was so strong that she did not even notice that the bird had instantly freed itself, and had darted after her on foot, gaining more ground than she could have anticipated. By the time she turned back to face it, there was no more distance between them, and she only had a moment to look into its dead eyes before the beast clamped down its jaw onto the plasma rifle and—incidentally—her right arm.

Neo shrieked. It was the first time Yang had ever heard her voice.

The Grimm sharply twisted its head, and Neo sailed across the clearing, crashing hard into a thick tree. She slunk down against its base, hissing and grabbing her wounded arm, which was mangled from the pressure of its jaws and torn into near ribbons, causing streaks of red to seep through her pristine white clothes. She gazed up in terror as the bird sprinted towards her, wings pulled back and black fluid pouring from its mouth. With a final cry, it lunged towards its prey—only to crash headfirst into the tree base as Neo shattered into a million pieces. The bird shook its head and scanned the forest for the Droog Mistress, but she had vanished without a trace. And, without their master to guide them, the rest of the Droogs scattered, scurrying away like rats. The bird locked its gaze onto one and began its chase, Mrs. Glass watching all the while behind her mask.

In the chaos, Yang heard a voice. _"Hey! You need to move!"_

Move? She couldn't. Not in her broken state, and especially not with Blake weighing her down.

" _You're still thinking about her? She'll be dead in a few hours anyway. Just ditch her and let's go."_

Yang instinctively wrapped her arms tighter around Blake, feeling the wounded Huntress shudder beneath her.

" _Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me! You really want to die for her?"_

Die for her? That was the most likely option. Dying right there on the cold, leaf-covered dirt, eaten alive by a ten-foot-tall bird, with no one in the world ever discovering what happened to her. Even if the collar hadn't sapped all of her strength, she knew she couldn't fight back. When she fought the other Grimm in the Emerald Forest, it took her and her full team everything they had just to outlast the monster. Without her teammates, or her Aura, or her weapons, there was nothing she could do but watch as the Bird landed atop one of the Droogs, and began to feast, jabbing its maw repeatedly into his back and tugging out large chunks of flesh and spine.

"What… what is that thing?" a soft voice muttered beneath her. Yang felt Blake stir, her body growing cold as she too looked out at the carnage, watching as the bird switched prey and took out another Droog, and then another, chasing them down and tearing their heads from their shoulders. Their screams were the only sounds that rose above the bird's attacks.

" _You're throwing your life away for what? She's worthless, Yang. There are thousands of other girls just like her. You'll move on. Think of all of the sacrifices you made to get where you are today. You want to let that be for nothing?"_

One of the Droog members caught her eye. While most of the gangsters fled away from the bird, one had tucked himself away; hunched behind a tree stump was Sun Wukong, his tail curled up behind him as he watched the bird tear apart his comrades. Then, as if some attractive force was calling to him, he turned away his gaze and locked eyes with Yang. Their connection was brief, but a thousand bitter thoughts ran through her mind in that instant. He had betrayed them so effortlessly as he had probably done to dozens of others before them. He sold them out like it was nothing, and if it wasn't for his treachery, they never would have been in that damned forest. It was his fault they were going to die. And yet, despite all of that, Yang couldn't bring herself to hate him at that moment. The fear in his eyes was all too palpable. He was no older than she was, and had lived a much tougher life than she could imagine. And still, it was going to be snuffed out, all the same. She liked to believe the same thoughts were running through his mind as well, but she didn't have the time to dwell on it. It had all happened in an instant. He quickly broke their connection, and while the bird's back was turned, he scampered up the tree and began jumping amongst the foliage, swinging away like the monkey that he was.

" _If you die, I die! I'm not going to let my existence fade away because of you. Move, dammit!"_

Poison pulsed through Yang's veins. Every breath she took felt like she was battling an anchor being pushed down on her chest. How could she move? How could she do anything in fact but lie there and wait, practically naked, offering Blake the little protection she could manage? She watched the other fight in vain. One Droog tried firing at the bird's legs, only to have his own ripped out from underneath him. Another tried hiding in the leaves, but unlike Sun he was quickly discovered, and the bird took great pleasure in gripping his head its talons and squeezing until his head popped open. And then she saw Moose, desperate and having been thrown around, make one last move towards the plasma rifle, charging at it faster than lightning, coming mere fingertips away from contact—only to have the beast turn its attention to him at the last moment, soaring towards him and knocking him to the ground. The bird clamped its talon onto his leg, locking him into place, and as Moose screamed and pounded the bird's leg until his fists were bloody, the bird shook and shuddered, looking up at the sky and releasing a series of gawks and gasps, its sounds a horrid mixture of all the lives it had consumed. Then, without further warning, it burrowed its face into Moose's stomach and began thrashing around inside his guts, biting and chewing and ripping apart whatever meat it came into contact with.

And again, Yang felt a shudder beneath her, as she realized Blake was watching as well. "I…" she whispered, her mind struggling to piece together the words. "Please... help me."

The poison in Yang's veins turned into fire.

Her muscles began to move all on their own. She rolled onto her stomach, and with a force that she didn't know she had left inside of her, she pushed herself onto her knees. A growl erupted from her throat. What the hell was she doing? She couldn't give up. She couldn't die. Not yet, not with Blake's life at stake. She refused. She was Yang Xiao Long. She was a firecracker. She was a Huntress. She was a fucking _dragon_. She had a whole damn world left to explore, and there was no chance in hell she would let that masked bitch dictate what happened to her life. She repeated the mantra over and over again in her head. She was Yang Xiao Long. She was a dragon. She wasn't going to die on that day.

She pushed herself onto her feet, and grabbed Blake forcefully by the waist, pulling the poor thing up despite her resistance. The bird was distracted pulling Moose's flesh from his belly, and as his life faded away, Yang wrapped Blake around her shoulder.

"Come on," she snapped. "We have to go."

Yang took a step forward. The muscles in her calf tightened, but she didn't fall. Instead, she took another step, and then another, and then she was off. Her body surging and Blake leaning her dead weight against her, Yang took off into the forest, ducking into the cover of the trees. The screams of the Droogs faded into the distance behind her, and she took one last glance back between the bloody leaves. The bird was gone, and instead, all she could see was Mrs. Glass, who was staring directly at her from so many yards away, watching her intently as she fled. Yang's heart stopped beating for a second, but she didn't have time to stop, and Mrs. Glass seemed to have no intention of chasing after her. Her feet carried her away, and she turned back to the forest, leaving their tormenter behind.

She had one clear goal in mind: the vans. If she could just reach them, she knew she could summon the strength to get Blake back to Beacon, or at the very least, out of Forever Fall and into safety. In the chaos, none of the Droogs would notice or care if one of their vehicles went missing, and the hull of the van was thick enough to hopefully protect them if the bird decided to attack. She knew how to hotwire a car, or she thought she did. Her memory was hazy, but she had stolen two cars when she was fifteen, and even though her hands trembled, she knew she could figure it out. Would she be able to drive in her current condition? That was the only real question she had left, but she couldn't doubt herself. Not when she was so close.

Her bare ankles scraped against fallen branches as she bounded over the overgrown and exposed roots of the bright red trees. Blake tried her best to help her, even if she didn't fully understand why. She was only able to give occasional kicks off the ground, but it was enough to push them forward. All the while, she couldn't stop muttering to herself.

"Are we… we going to die?"

"We're going to make it," Yang insisted, stumbling onwards. "Just don't stop. Whatever you do, don't stop."

The advice was mostly for herself. The forest seemed to go on forever, and even though she knew the cars weren't far away, each step brought her one step closer to breaking completely. She could have been seconds or hours away from salvation for all she knew. She didn't have a clue as to where the bird was; if it was giving chase to them or soaring high above the trees looking scanning the forest for other escapees. All she knew was that the screams of the Droogs had disappeared completely from the air, and she was left with the sound of the leaves rustling beneath her feet, and Yin chanting constantly and forcefully in her ear, _"You're not going fast enough."_ So, she picked up the pace, and her body turned against her. With every step, it felt like her legs would snap clean off her body, but she had to keep going. Blake needed her. She couldn't let Bake down again. She was going to save her and fix the mess that she got them in, even if it killed her.

She was about to lose all hope when, just off in the distance behind a few low-hanging branches, she saw a glimmer of light reflecting off of a black surface. She ducked her head and tightened her grip on Blake, and made one last desperate push into the open. She burst into the clearing and immediately winced as the hot pavement burned her feet. But, the cars were there, all three of them, waiting for her. And for the first time in hours, the mirage of a smile crept onto Yang's face.

"Okay, Blake, almost there," Yang assured her. Blake responded with a half nod. Checking back momentarily and seeing no sign of the bird anywhere near them, the par hobbled over to the passenger side of the frontmost vehicle, and with a trembling hand, Yang reached out to door. "Please be unlocked. Please be unlocked. Please be—"

The door clicked open. Yang could barely suppress her laughter.

"Is that good?" Blake asked nonchalantly.

"You're damn right it is," Yang sighed. "Get in."

Blake was not able to lift herself into the car alone, so Yang had to assist her. Carrying her on her shoulder was one matter, but lifting her was an entirely different struggle. She could not support her teammate's weight, but somehow, Blake was able to help shimmy into position even in her dazed state. Blake slumped in the cool leather seat as Yang manually forced her legs into position in the car, and then spent another few seconds fumbling with the seatbelt trying to make sure Blake was secure. The last thing she needed was Blake either falling over or, God forbid they crash, go flying out the front windshield. Protecting Blake was the number one priority. With her friend as safe as she possibly could be, Yang slammed the door and stumbled around to the front of the vehicle, using the searing metal hood for balance.

" _You need to hurry, Yang,"_ Yin scolded her as she reached the other side. _"That Grimm is going to come searching soon."_

"I know, I know," Yang muttered. She pulled open the door and immediately started clawing at the bottom panel beneath the steering wheel. She pried at it, scraping her nails along its surface, but it would not budge, having been screwed into place.

" _It won't work,"_ Yin told her. _"Search the glove compartment. Find a knife."_

Yang didn't have much of a choice. She shot her arm over Blake's lap and pulled open the glove compartment, and, sure enough, a handful of weapons immediately spilled out onto the floor. Two pistols. A grenade. Three pocketknives. Neopolitan always came prepared; though none of them would do anything against the bird, the knives had their uses. She grabbed one of the blades at random and began fiddling with the screws, wedging the steel into place and twisting them free.

"Come on, work with me," Yang whispered. As Blake watched her work in silence, Yin felt the need to chime in again.

" _Where do you plan on going? We both know you'll pass out before you make it even ten miles. And do you honestly think that Grimm isn't just going to hunt you down the second it hears the engine?"_

"You were so supportive just a second ago," Yang growled.

" _What can I say? I'm feeling a little bipolar today. You know what that is like. Get it? It's funny because… you're going to die soon!"_

With a final desperate twist, Yang freed the last screw from its captivity, and the whole panel fell open, exposing the set of thick wires underneath. Yang wasted little time in slashing at them with the knife, freeing the exposed copper wiring underneath. Dropping the knife, she placed her hands away from their torn edges, knowing well of the dangers posed by the strong current pulsing through them. A single wrong move meant a deadly dose of electricity. She had to be extremely precise, which was nearly impossible with her ever-twitching muscles, and only exacerbated by Yin sniveling and laughing in her ear. Her breath was caught in her throat; the bird was drawing closer. She felt it.

She lightly pressed two red wires together, letting their ends barely meet. The car gave no response at first, but then, after holding them together for a second longer, the lights on the dashboard came to life, but that was all. The engine remained silent, and so she grabbed another broken wire and began fiddling with it, and then when that one failed she tried again, fiddling with almost every combination she could think of until finally, when she was about ready to give up all of her last hope, the engine of the van suddenly roared to life. Yang nearly fainted from the shock but held herself together enough to push the wires into a place they would not touch her and pull herself into the driver's seat. She slammed the door behind her, and hesitantly grabbed onto the steering wheel, giving it a careful turn to make sure she had not damaged it.

"Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit," she repeated with growing excitement. The wheel was working. She shifted the stick and pressed softly on the pedal, and the car lurched forward. She couldn't believe it. All of those nights causing trouble in Vale were worth something after all.

"Are we okay?" Blake asked worriedly. Yang buckled herself into place and flashed Blake the cockiest grin she could muster. The grin of a dragon.

"Yeah," Yang stated. "I think we're going to be—"

The words couldn't escape her before the giant black mass crashed down from the sky onto the hood of their car. The entire van titled onto its front two wheels before slamming back into equilibrium, throwing the girls around in their chairs. When they recovered, the only thing they could see from their view was the Grimm standing on their car, its wings spread and entrails hanging from its teeth. They screamed in horror as the bird shouted back and them and, after rearing its head back, began to smash its face into the bulletproof windshield. It crashed its beak into the glass once, twice, three times, four, and each time the glass's resistance faltered, and the cracks grew wider and more jagged. Yang tried to reach over to Blake's seat to unbuckle her, but every time the bird struck, the van shook violently, and she was thrown off-balance. Not that it would have done any good regardless. The bird had them. With a final peck, the bird smashed its beak through the center of the windshield, thrashing around between the two of them. It snarled and screamed at them as its head was wedged in the glass, and they both recoiled from the beast, trying to pull themselves away from its snapping maw the best they could in the cramped spaces. Yang could smell the death on its breath as it let out a hoarse screech, wriggling towards its food.

In desperation, it was Blake who took control. The concussed Huntress couldn't even recall her name, but some ancient reflex awakened within her, and her body acted intuitively. With the bird's teeth snapping close to her forearm, she reached down to her feet and clumsily grabbed the hand grenade that had fallen earlier, and pulled the pin free. With an angry cry, she slapped the bird on the side of its head to gain its attention, and when it turned fully to her and screamed again, she threw the grenade into its jaws and watched it slide into its throat. She crossed her arms to shield itself and Yang did the same, pressing themselves against the doors of the van, bracing themselves for the impact.

The bird wasn't even aware of the grenade until it went off. There was a muffled explosion from within its chest, and suddenly the Grimm stumbled, falling onto its belly on the hood of the vehicle. It thrashed its head around from its captivity in the glass, pulling back in a sad attempt to free itself, but it could only let out a weakened cry as its head fell forward into the gear shift. The bird continued to thrash for another few moments before it finally became still. Yang hyperventilated, shifting her gaze between Blake huddling in the corner and the bird head resting next to her that was thicker than her entire body. She stared at it fearfully, looking for any signs of life left within it.

" _Well?"_ Yin whispered in her mind. _"Did that do it?"_

Yang quietly moved to unbuckle her seatbelt. Her hand pressed against the button, and then the bird suddenly roared at her. She jumped back and screamed as the bird began thrashing around again, even more, crazed than before, its cries no longer resembling that of tortured men but almost something akin to a broken speaker. The bird's jaws spread wide, and a gush of blood and black fluid poured from its throat, the putrid fluid spilling all throughout the interior of the van. With a final tug, the bird pulled its head free from the glass and stumbled backward off the roof of the van, squelching and squawking as the foul-smelling liquids continued to rush out of its mouth onto the pavement. With the liquified remains of its innards rushing free from its beak, the bird launched into a fury, and there was nowhere left for the Huntresses to go. The bird flapped its wings and jumped onto the roof of the main body, its talons piercing through the ceiling. Yang and Blake ducked down for cover, but there was no time to consider any of their options before they felt the car steadily being lifted off the ground.

"Blake, it'll be okay," Yang found herself saying, grabbing onto Blake's hand for support. The other girl was terrified beyond reason, and Yang needed to comfort her with whatever lies she was able to think of. It didn't take long before the bird had lifted the van in its entirety into the air and dragged the girls forcibly to the edge of the road, which she quickly realized dropped off into a pit of endless trees. Within seconds, the van was twenty feet above the ground, and the bird cried out horrible things as it took them soaring over the forest. Where was it taking them? A roundabout way back to Mrs. Glass? A nest? Nowhere at all? Yang was strapped into a machine taking her to her own demise, and she had to think of something fast, and something clever.

A dive. It was the only thing that came to her mind. Yang hurriedly peered out the nearest window and looked out into the trees. They were twenty or thirty feet above the crimson leaves. With the bird above them, she could release herself and Blake take the plunge. The leaves could help break their fall, and the bird would never find them amidst the plant life or even notice they went missing at all. But would they survive the descent? She wanted to say so, but the rational part of her—or whatever she supposed was left of it—hushed her effortlessly. Of course, they would die. It would be a difficult landing even with their Aura. With their current health, their deaths were assured. Yang threw the idea away. She would come up with something. Her life wasn't over yet; she was the dragon.

And it was no sooner than that thought came to Yang's mind before she heard the metal roof creak, and she looked up just in time to see the whole sheet come off unexpectedly. The bird cawed in surprise as the roof detached, and the armored van—as well as the shocked girls inside—plummeted into the sea of trees beneath.


	46. Still Not Dead Yet (Make Believe)

**Note: Hey, everyone. Short chapter this time, but we wanted to give you all something over the weekend to make up for the long update drought. Anyway, since this current arc is starting to wrap up, we decided to include in this chapter a little sneak peek of where we plan on going next. Hopefully, you'll be as excited as we are. Enjoy.**

* * *

" _Hate to break it to you, Yang, but you're not dead yet."_

Yang gasped back to life. Everything hurt. Granted, everything was already hurting, but somehow she felt even worse than she did before. It took a moment for her to get her bearings, and it was only when she felt a trickle of blood drip from her lips to her forehead did she realize she was dangling upside down in the front seat of a toppled van. Her arms were hanging above her head, or would it be below her head? Whatever direction it was, she felt something hard but malleable against her knuckles. Dirt, perhaps? The space around her was dark and cold. A question burned in her mind: How was she still alive?

The bird. She remembered the bird, and she remembered screaming, and then falling, and then—airbags. She recognized the pressure against her chest and sides. That was it? On the instant of impact, she was swarmed by a dozen thick balloons, pink and pretty. Neo must have put a lot of work into customizing every conceivable detail of her transportation. She was a woman of class, after all. With the extra cushioning, the bulletproof glass and tires, the ultra-hardened exterior—she made the van as safe as it possibly could be. That same woman whose fault it was for nearly killing them in the first place, who drugged them and tried to sell them like merchandise, just inadvertently saved their lives.

 _Their_ lives. Yang was hit with a panic, and she turned quickly to the passenger seat. She had never been so thankful she bothered to buckle her seatbelt for once. Blake was in the same position she was, dangling upside-down and surrounded by pink cushions, her blood-stained chest gently rising and falling with her breath. She wasn't well, but somehow the crash hadn't killed her either, and Yang could start figuring out a way in order to get out of the new mess they found themselves in.

"Blake. Hey, Blake," Yang groaned, floating her arm over to the opposite seat. Blake did not respond as she wavily reached out to her friend. She jabbed at her shoulder, but there was still no response. Yang moved up her body, prodding at the Aura-Drain Collar around Blake's neck, when suddenly, upon the slightest touch, the collar emitted a loud, prolonged _beep_ , and miraculously clicked open. Blake shuddered and Yang drew back her hand in surprise, before instinctively grabbing the collar around her own neck and tugging on it to see what happened. Unfortunately, it did nothing similar. She immediately suspected the crash had done something to damage Blake's collar, and upon closer examination, she saw it: a tree branch sticking through the passenger-side window and tearing through one of the airbags, coming to a stop right at the back of Blake's throat. It must have snapped off from one of the trees they crashed into on their long descent, and the collar was the only thing that halted its advance through Blake's neck. After some of the worst twenty-four hours Yang had ever experienced, it seemed like whatever gods existed decided to give her and Blake some slack, even if the latter never would have believed in such gods in the first place.

Yang braced herself with one arm against the soil, and with her free hand, she carefully moved to unbuckle her seatbelt. She released herself from her seat and reflexively rolled her body over her head, tumbling safely onto her knees. She squeezed through the cramped confines of the front of the collapsed vehicle, crawling underneath the turned-over stick shift to gently press her hand against Blake's cheek.

"Wake up, Blake," she said softly, coaxing her friend out of her stupor. Blake groaned, groggily returning to life.

"Ilia? What'd you say?" Blake mumbled.

"No… Blake, it's me," Yang whispered encouragingly.

"Who's… who's Blake?" The Huntress tried to move but was held back in suspension. "Ugh, my head…"

"You're Blake," Yang promised, lightly stroking her hair. "Do you remember anything? You just took a nasty fall. There was a Grimm and—"

"Where's Ilia?" Blake muttered worriedly. "I need to… I need to tell her some… something…"

Blake faded, and Yang quickly held her head and steadily shook her back to consciousness.

"Blake, you can't go to sleep now," Yang said forcefully. "We need to get you somewhere safe."

"Somewhere safe…" Blake moaned. Yang placed one hand onto the back of her head and placed the other on the seatbelt. As carefully as she could manage, she loosened Blake's restraints and lowered her calmly to the floor, keeping her head away from the protruding spike in the window and the broken glass littering the floor. With Blake lowered safely onto the soil, Yang could move onto her next task: removing the collar. Her hands were still trembling as she brought her hands to Blake's throat, and the shaking did not ease up as Yang gently pulled apart the metal. Blake hissed as four thin needles were gradually pulled out of her neck, and Yang had to fight back her hands as she clawed at the wound. When Yang finally pulled the collar free, she threw the damned thing as far from her as she could, exposing the bruises on Blake's neck and the light trickles of blood that were coming out of the punctures in her skin. Tentatively brushing them away, she opened the door behind her and took several cautious minutes dragging Blake into the open. The sunlight only peaked through the thick canopy of leaves above them, and Yang looked up into the sky to look for any sights of the Grimm.

No shadow. No sounds. Nothing at all.

Except, of course, for the slow clapping coming from Yin, who was leaning casually against a nearby tree, her red eyes somehow finding a way to pop despite the infinite sea of crimson behind her.

" _Great job, Yang_ ," she laughed. _"You only mostly killed yourselves this time."_

* * *

Weiss was being a very good girl.

Weiss shut up, and acted polite, and smiled. She did not raise her voice once, and she greeted every Faunus she saw warmly and with a grace that was becoming of a Schnee. The supervisors were very impressed with her performance; they said that the turnaround from the day before was remarkable and that they were hearing whispers from the Faunus about how overwhelmingly kind the mysterious pale girl was acting towards them. With everything Weiss did, Coco was watching from close behind, smirking and nodding as she was secure in the knowledge that the heiress had finally been put in her place. Ruby had not said a word to either of them all day, but the RWBY leader felt she had nothing she could add. Weiss wasn't breaking any plates or throwing any tantrums, so Ruby supposed it was all fine.

And Weiss knew it was fine because all she had to do was shut up, and act polite and smile.

Shut up. Act polite. Smile.

Shut up. Act polite. Smile.

Shut up. Act polite. Smile.

Shut up.

Act polite.

And fucking smile.

Weiss wanted to scream. She had never felt so humiliated in her life, and the worst part was that she knew she easily had been. There had been nearly a half dozen times in which she was made to feel like absolute garbage, whether it was getting kicked off Team One, or nearly dying to the Grimm, or getting knocked out against Team CRDL, or losing to Blake endlessly, or getting screamed at by Zelina—and that was all in the past few months. But somehow, helping the Faunus felt worse, despite the fact that she had no idea what exactly she was supposed to be humiliated by. For what was maybe the first time since coming to Beacon, everyone actually liked her. She was doing what was undeniably a good deed, and they were supportive of her. Proud even. They had done little more than lavish her with praise all afternoon, more praise than her tutors and servants were ever willing to give.

And she wanted to scream. Every time she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, she wanted to scream. Every time a Faunus thanked her for her service, she wanted to scream. Every time she noticed one of Coco's perfect, shiny, straight, white teeth, she wanted to scream. Knowing the fact that looking at anything even mildly upsetting made her want to scream _made her want to scream_. Her smile was like glass one crack away from shattering completely. Her blood was boiling. She was milliseconds from snapping at the first person who looked at her wrong.

Ruby cleared her throat and spoke calmly. "So, Weiss, is everything okay?"

Weiss smiled at her. "Yes. Everything is fine."

"See, it's not so bad," Coco jabbed at her. "It's actually pretty satisfying not being a total bitch for once."

Ruby gritted her teeth. "Coco…"

"It's fine, Ruby," Weiss insisted. "Let's not cause any more drama."

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired," Coco noted. "Staying up so late arguing with you destroyed my sleep schedule. I'm going to have to take a hard reset when we get back to Beacon."

Get back to Beacon? That's right, Weiss remembered. They were students at Beacon Academy, training to become Huntresses. It was sort of difficult to remember when she was stuck in the longest weekend of her entire life.

"Well, Weiss and I are usually good at that. I make my team follow a pretty strict schedule," Ruby explained. "Right, Weiss? Though I am trying to loosen up on that."

"Right," Weiss agreed. "I'm certainly glad you're learning to respect other people's boundaries."

Weiss smiled emptily at her, and Ruby shot her eyes down at the serving trays in front of her. Weiss wondered exactly how much of the absolute disdain in her voice her leader was able to pick up on, if she truly comprehended just how ludicrously pissed off she was. Whatever Ruby did pick up, however, Coco did not, and the CFVY extraordinaire continued on as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

"Hey, why don't you invite Yang and Blake next time?" she asked innocently. "I'm sure they'd love helping out."

"Oh, um, I don't know," Ruby stammered. "Yang isn't really the 'dedicated work' type. I mean, she means well, but—"

"Please, if you can Weiss to come along, the other two must be a cakewalk," Coco joked. "Besides, what are they doing this weekend that makes them so busy anyway?"

"N-nothing, technically," Ruby stated. "I just didn't want them to be a distraction. Although now that you mention it, I wasn't able to talk to them yesterday. I don't know if they go my note."

"Is that a problem?" Coco asked. Ruby shook her head.

"No, I'm sure it's fine. It's just that usually Yang texts me back even if she doesn't want to talk, so I'm a little worried."

"Eh, it's Yang and Blake," Coco shrugged. "They couldn't have done anything _that_ stupid."

"You'd be surprised," Ruby sighed. "One time when she was twelve, Yang destroyed an ice cream truck because they were out of orange sherbet. Then, when she was thirteen, she broke into our dad's liquor cabinet and handed out a bunch of it at middle school the next day during homeroom."

"Wow," Coco chuckled. "Doesn't that stuff accumulate on your permanent record or something? How did they agree to let her into Beacon?"

"I think it helped that our dad had connections," Ruby admitted. "Honestly, I think he pulled a few favors to help Ozpin look past some of her issues. Not that I would tell Yang that. It's just that they were friends for a really long time."

Coco huffed. Ruby expected her to laugh the answer off, but instead, the older girl only seemed downtrodden. "So, what you're saying is that Yang got into Beacon not because she's actually talented, but because she knew the guy in charge. Fascinating."

Ruby grimaced. The words took a bite out of her "Coco…"

"I know, I know, I shouldn't be getting political."

"Coco, Yang deserves to be in Beacon just as much as you do," Ruby said defensively.

"I'm not saying she doesn't," Coco clarified, scratching at her chin. "Yang's a total badass. I love her, and she's totally going to become an awesome Huntress one day. It's just… I would've killed to be allowed to make as many mistakes as she did. I didn't think it was like that with her."

"I mean, it shouldn't bother you that much," Ruby tried to reason with her. She could see Coco's shoulders tensing up. "I'm sure it didn't matter that much anyway."

"That's not what it sounded like a few seconds ago," Coco stated. There was a hint of bitterness in her voice that she was failing to disguise. "I mean, you said that your dad and Ozpin were friends. I'm sure he had to be at least subconsciously aware of that when he was judging applicants."

"I'd rather not discuss this right now, please," Ruby said with growing desperation. "Yang worked incredibly hard to make up for her past mistakes, and I'm super proud she got into Beacon."

"Are you though?" Coco said suddenly. Weiss, sensing the rapid instability, took a step backward.

"I think I'm going to take a break for a few minutes," she explained, still holding up her fake smile. She wasn't exactly sure what was happening around her, but if the tension between the others meant that she had an opportunity to get the hell out of that room even momentarily, it was obvious that she was going to capitalize on it. She did not even wait for the others to respond or settle on who was going to cover for her shift before she quickly exited the room, heading past the supervisors and into the nearest bathroom. Meanwhile, Ruby and Coco locked eyes, and the line of Faunus they were serving screeched to a dead halt.

"What do you mean by that?" Ruby asked hesitantly.

"I mean exactly what I said," Coco replied simply.

"You think that I'm not proud of my sister?"

"I think that you know her acceptance was a little bullshit."

"There's nothing bull about it," Ruby said sternly. "Yang studied super hard for those exams. I think it's a little rude to suggest that she just got in because of our family."

"I don't think it was _just_ because of your family," Coco said, irritated. "It's just that there are hundreds—if not _thousands —_ of people who take those entrance exams every year, and tons of them do incredibly well. Making it into this school comes down to the smallest little things, and I don't think it's that rude to suggest that your parentage could have done something to tip the scales."

"Well, I find it rude," claimed Ruby.

"But don't you think I have a point?" Coco asked. Ruby scowled. _Of course_ , she had a point. It would be pretty ignorant of her to pretend that Yang got into Beacon one hundred percent on her own. There were plenty of times in her childhood she wondered why it was that Yang ended up getting so many second chances no matter how many times she screwed her life up. All of those bills of damages and liabilities always seemed to disappear from under their father's watch, and she wasn't so dumb as to pretend it was just a fluke. But it wasn't like it was something that was a big of a deal enough to be shared by others. Those concerns were hers and hers alone. Hearing Coco say them felt wrong somehow, like an insult to her name. So what if Yang might have stolen her spot in Beacon from someone else who may have worked a little bit harder? "Stole" was such a bad word anyway. It was just her father helping her as a former graduate. Lots of students had that advantage. Tons of them, all over Vale and all over Remnant. It was nothing to feel guilty over. Nothing at all.

And then there was herself.

That thought sent a shock through Ruby's mind. What about herself? It _was_ sort of weird how she was recruited, wasn't it? She stops a small robbery, and then suddenly, Glynda Goodwitch just shows up at her doorstep and offers her the last remaining position in the class just weeks before the semester is due to start. She had always expressed doubts about whether or not she truly belonged at Beacon Academy, whether Ozpin had made a mistake when he chose her. It was the thing that kept her up at night for so long, and yet, it was amazing how she, Ruby Rose of all people, never stopped for a moment to analyze just how bizarre it truly was. Why was there a spot remaining in the class so soon before the semester when Yang received her acceptance so much earlier? Why was Ozpin willing to give her team a second chance after they broke curfew and invaded the Emerald Forest. She assumed for so long that it was out of the kindness of his heart, or his wisdom, or his something or other that guided him into making favorable decisions. No matter what she thought of her own pitiful talents, she had always taken the assumption that it was those talents that the others saw within her. But at that moment, it was all a haze.

"Look, it's nothing personal, Ruby," Coco said rationally, snapping Ruby back into the real world. "I'm not saying this to start anything. Really. I know I get way too hard about these sorts of things. But I think if Weiss is able to learn something about the head start she had in this world, maybe you could learn about yours as well."

Ruby caught a glimpse of her silver eyes reflecting in the glass panes above the countertop. Maybe she had to start asking some different questions.

* * *

Weiss entered the bathroom, stormed into the stall, and immediately collapsed against it. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so hard, and she trembled hard against the walls. She didn't know or care if anyone was in the room with her. She needed an escape from the wandering eyes of the Faunus, and a long moment to catch her breath. She lost count of the number of times she told herself to calm down. She just needed a few minutes, and then she could go back to her world of make-believe.

Suddenly, she felt a buzzing in her pocket. She was admittedly shocked; she wasn't exactly used to wearing jeans, and the sensation of her Scroll going off felt alien against her thigh. She struggled to pull the device out of her pocket, and she took a quick glance at the number that she planned to ignore. Only, she did not ignore. She couldn't. Her eyes went wide, and she smashed her finger down onto the screen to accept the call as soon as she could. She pressed the phone to her ear and responded meekly.

"Uh… hi."

The voice on the other end was smooth yet confident, a tone that could lead ten thousand men. "Hello, Weiss. How have your studies been?"

"They've… they've been well."

"Really? You wouldn't lie to me, right?"

"No, no, not at all."

"Glad to hear it. I'm sure he'd be very happy to hear about your progress."

"Yeah—I'm sure he would be."

"Anyway, there's something important I need to talk to you about."

"What is it?"

"You wouldn't happen to be free on November 21st, would you?"

"N-November 21st? I wouldn't know."

"Is there any way you can find out?"

"I mean, I can ask Ruby about it."

"Ruby? Who's Ruby?"

"Oh, she's my… _our_ team leader. She controls my schedule."

"I see. You've never told me about any Ruby before."

"Well, there's a lot to talk about with Ruby. Anyway, I'm sure I can check with—"

"That's okay, Weiss. You don't have to check anything. You sound rather busy, so I'm sure the answer will just be a no. Just… keep up your studies, all right? Don't forget that you're a Schnee, and a Schnee doesn't bow to anything."

"What are you—"

"I have to get back to work. Take care, Weiss."

"Wait, don't go."

The answer was met with silence as the line was disconnected. Weiss stared at her phone in the stall, dumbfounded. Her break from reality was short-lived.


	47. Conversations with the Other

**Note: Hey, so we really liked writing the combined perspective chapter from last time, so we wrote another one. We're coming up to the end of this arc soon. Hope you are as excited as we are. Enjoy.**

* * *

Weiss took a deep breath as she exited the shower. The hotel had nice towels. Not nearly as nice as the ones back at home, or even at Beacon, but still, they were nice. They were very fluffy, which she preferred, even if they were less effective in drying her off than their coarse cousins. She needed something fluffy. It had been another long, unnecessarily stressful day, and the steam of the shower had only done the bare minimum in easing her suffering. As she wrapped up her hair, she tried planning out how she wasn't going to have a heart attack the next day. Theoretically, it would not be that difficult; she was not going to be that much different than what she was already doing. And yet, it felt like a tremendous weight was pressing down on her shoulders, a weight that no amount of fluff around her torso could relieve.

And then there was that phone call. She did not even want to think of that phone call.

Weiss looked in the foggy mirror and sighed. She pulled at the skin around her eyes, scrunching up her nose at the sight. She looked twice her age, and she felt it too. Pale skin did not do much to hide the blemishes. She would have to talk to Ruby about her schedule for the upcoming months. She could not imagine it would contain much more than their usual training, but it would pay to check anyway. Even if _she_ said it didn't matter, it mattered to Weiss, and it never hurt to check, she supposed.

When Weiss left the bathroom, however, she did not find Ruby sitting on the bed as she expected. In fact, she did not find Ruby anywhere in the room. Instead, sitting on the bed, waiting patiently for her arrival with her hands clasped in her lap, was Velvet Scarlatina.

"Hi, Weiss, it's good—" Velvet looked up to greet her, but as soon as she made eye contact, she turned beet red and looked away. "Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you'd still be in a towel."

"Uh… hello, Velvet," Weiss said uncomfortably, tightly gripping the fabric around her chest. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, nothing," Velvet shrugged. "I, you know, just wanted to see if I could talk to you for a little bit."

"Sure," Weiss said unsurely. "Did Ruby let you in?"

"Yeah. I asked her if she could step out for just a few minutes," Velvet explained. "Would you like to take a seat.

 _As if I have a choice,_ Weiss thought. She didn't say anything of the sort, she just forced her way through another fake smile, and took an awkward seat on the edge of the opposite bed, facing Velvet and crossing her legs.

"So, Velvet, what would you like to talk about?" Weiss asked politely.

"You absolutely hate this, don't you?" Velvet spat out. The words came so suddenly Weiss was taken aback.

"I… what?"

"You hate this. All of… this," Velvet said, gesturing broadly to the room around her. "It's so incredibly obvious that you can't stand the idea that we are making you do this, and when you were apologizing to us last night, you were lying. Is that right?"

"Well, I mean," Weis stammered. She told herself she was not going to cause any more drama, and being honest would certainly break that promise, but she felt like she was stuck. Velvet's gaze was so innocent and nonaggressive that she felt her resolve melting under its power. Finally, she breathed a beleaguered sigh. "Yeah. Pretty much."

"Right. That makes sense," Velvet nodded. She was surprisingly calm, twiddling her thumbs idly as she talked. "And I take it that you aren't very happy with Coco now, are you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"You called her a slut last night and tried to viciously attack her."

Weiss laughed dryly. "Well, that sort of gives it away, doesn't it?"

Velvet smirked reluctantly. "I understand why. When I first met Coco, I didn't really like her either. Part of it is just that the two of us are so different personality-wise, but I think a lot of it is that Coco is a very proud person. She's had to go through a lot of really difficult things to get to where she is today, and if she feels like someone is being treated wrong or given an extra lot on life, I think she feels like she has an obligation to say something because of the fact that she has the power to do so now. She means well, and she's really wonderful, but I get that she can be a little pushy at times. It's only because she cares, though."

"I wish she'd stop caring," Weiss stated, crossing her arms and moping in her seat. "My family life is none of her damn business. The fact that she wants to shame me for that is ridiculous."

"And that's totally reasonable for you to feel that way," Velvet insisted. "It's honestly how I felt for a very long time. It's hard to listen to someone tell you how easy your life has been when it doesn't ever feel like it." Velvet paused for a long moment, and then with a scratch of her ear, she added, "Did I ever tell you that my family owned Faunus."

Weiss gasped. "What? You _owned_ them?"

"Well, technically we didn't," Velvet said shyly.

"I was about to say," Weiss noted, "that I thought slavery was outlawed in Vale."

"It is by name," Velvet explained carefully. "But the thing is… many Faunus don't have places to go, and they're willing to do manual labor for scraps of food and a roof over their heads. If you're rich enough to afford that, which isn't that hard… have you ever heard the saying that if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck?"

Weiss carefully nodded. The dynamic in the room shifted, the tension tempered. "So, you're family—"

"Incredibly rich," Velvet stated without pride. "They own a few farms in Southern Vale which produces wheat and corn for the whole region. They employ thousands of Faunus, including a dozen who they hire exclusively for housework. You can imagine the size of our house. But yeah, I've been surrounded by Faunus since I was a baby. I was practically raised by them since Mother and Father were always too busy. They taught me New Kingspeak and Zhoviyak simultaneously. It was a rather unique experience when the other kids at school found out about it."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Weiss said genuinely. Velvet brushed the comments aside.

"It's okay," she smiled. "Part of that was the reason I decided I wanted to become a Huntress, so it all worked out in the end. But it was tough. Father didn't like a lot of the things the Faunus told me. He was paranoid, said they were trying to turn me against Humans. Ironically enough, the only person that I ever really hated was him."

Weiss cringed. It was strange hearing Velvet say that she hated anyone. Velvet didn't seem like she could hate anything. But there was something else that made her cringe, and that was the vague familiarity of it all. It was just a bit too close for comfort, and she clutched nervously at her chest. Velvet, meanwhile, reached slowly towards her rabbit ears, and removed the headband, holding the object tenderly in her grasp.

"When I was younger, I always wished I could be a Faunus instead," Velvet whispered. "They were what I associated compassion with. Even with everything they had to struggle with, they still found the time to give their love to me. That kind of strength is something you can't find anywhere else, you know? And I thought if I became a Faunus, maybe I would get some of that strength, too. That probably sounds, like, really weird, doesn't it?"

"Very weird, actually," Weiss stated. "Kind of creepy, also."

"Probably," Velvet chuckled. "But I was a kid, and it was how I felt. When you grow up in a house where everyone is being othered, it makes you want to find something to blend into. Have you ever felt something like that?"

"Velvet, why are you telling me any of this?" Weiss asked, suspicious. Velvet rotated the headband in her palms, running her thumb over the fuzzy exterior before she shrugged away the question.

"I don't know," she admitted breathlessly. "I just know that for the past few days, you've been wondering why it is you have to do any of this. I know Ruby and Coco probably want to change your mind about the Faunus, but I know that a person's beliefs get rather set in stone by this point, so I don't know if that's possible, no matter how much I wish it was. I guess I thought that maybe instead of forcing you to be different, if I just told you about my experiences, maybe it would help you understand why it is that I care about the Faunus, even if you don't. Because the Faunus that raised me taught me that people need others looking out for them no matter where they come from. They need good people, and… I guess you and I are really all they have."

Good people. Weiss held onto that word with care.

Velvet said her goodbyes and stood up to leave, noting the late hour, but as she approached the door, Weiss chased after her. "Wait, can I ask you something really quickly?"

"What is it?"

Weiss cleared her throat. "A few weeks ago, my team and I took a trip down to Brooksbarrow in Southern Vale."

"Right, I was there when you agreed to that," Velvet recalled. "Her name was Miss Zaripova, correct?"

"Yes," Weiss confirmed.

"Did everything turn out all right?"

"It was fine," Weiss said dismissively, "but that's not what I want to talk about. When I was there, Miss Zaripova and I got into a heated argument, and during that, she called me something. I think the term she used was a 'riller'. Do you know what that means?"

Instantly, Velvet's eyes went wide, and a dull shiver went down her spine. Weiss couldn't help but take notice, and it only made the awkwardness grow thicker between them. "Oh, really? She called you that?"

"Is it bad?"

"So…" Velvet tried to rationally explain. "In Zhoviyak, the word 'rill' means 'to cut' or 'to saw'. The term she just used refers to some barbaric practices Humans used against Faunus regularly for very long stretches of history, and unfortunately, to this day. She basically called you a very nasty slur. It's actually so personal to the Faunus that I don't know if you or I should be using it."

"Okay. I thought so, but," Weiss muttered. "Actually, never mind." She discontinued the thought. It was something she would have to deal with another time. There was she had to take care of first.

* * *

Rain. As if Yang's day couldn't get any worse, it had to start raining.

If she had known anything about Forever Fall beforehand, she would have known that rain was an inevitability. That particular forest was known for its bizarre, almost unnatural shifts in weather, and throughout a single day one could expect it to rain at least once or twice. But Yang hadn't known, and even if she had, it was likely she would have forgotten considering everything else that had happened to her. So, when she was aimlessly drudging Blake through the forest and she felt droplets of water land on her forehead, her first reaction was to stop moving and just stare hopelessly at the sky. The rain started slow but increased steadily until it became a downpour, so powerful that not even the thick canopy of leaves above them could keep them dry. Yang's mission turned to finding shelter, and after what felt like an eternity in the rain, she was finally able to locate a shallow cave to keep themselves dry.

And that cave was where Yang had been for the past three hours, standing just inside its edge, leaning against the cool stone wall and watching the rain flood past. She wasn't sure how she was able to stand on her feet. Blake lied on her side in the center of the cave, not more than a few feet away, shivering in the cold. Yang tried leaning her up along the wall, but Blake protested that action with loud screams of pain, and the last thing they needed was unwanted attention. Ideally, she would start a fire as well, but she didn't know how, or even if she could with all the damp wood scattered around the forest. She could, at the very least, cover Blake's torso with her jacket, as flimsy of protection from the elements it was, which left her standing at the edge of the cave barefooted with nothing more on than a tube top and a pair of short shorts, and of course, the Atlasian collar around her neck.

And she watched. It was all she could do: watch. Watch for the bird, or the Droogs, or Mrs. Glass, or maybe if they were lucky, watch for help. Not that anything had come their way for the past three hours. The Droogs were dead and gone as far as she knew, and Mrs. Glass did not seem like the type to get her hands dirty with personal work. That left the bird, which she suspected would not be a problem. It was likely resting from the storm, the same as them, assuming it hadn't given up entirely. She had time to hatch an escape plan. That was the positive news. The glimmer of hope.

" _Wow, you're still so naïve. Aren't you?"_

And then there was her. The other. She sat cross-legged in the back of the cave, watching Yang watch the skies. Her red eyes were as bright as always, but there was something different about her. Her voice was a shade darker, her hair more faded. She was stronger.

" _The first stage of grief is denial,"_ Yin hissed. _"You still cling to this idea that you can make it out. Why? Is it because you see yourself as indestructible? So many people do. Millions believe themselves to be the center of the universe, to be immortal—always right up until the moment their miserable lives are spontaneously snuffed out. What makes you think you'll be any different?"_

Yang clenched her jaw. "Shut up."

" _Aww, she's upset,"_ Yin cooed. _"Look, everyone! Yang's upset. Would you like a hug or a kiss to make it all better?"_

"Fuck off," Yang muttered, trying not to give her other the attention she craved.

" _You know, maybe I was wrong. I think we're in the 'anger' stage now. That's good. It's my favorite stage of grief. Do you know why it's my favorite?"_ Yang said nothing. Yin pouted like an unruly child. _"Come on, don't you want to guess? Three guesses, that's all it would take for you to get it. It shouldn't be hard; you and I tend to think alike."_

"If you don't shut up, I'll—"

" _You'll do what exactly?"_ Yin cut off the threat with a laugh. _"Hit me? Kill me? Even if I was real, we both know there isn't a damn thing you could do to hurt me."_

That was another bitter truth to swallow. The fact that Yang couldn't tear her other's head off was infuriating, but the doppelganger reminding her that she was wasn't in the room in the first place buried the hopelessness deeper. In every movie she had ever seen where characters started hallucinating, the one thing they always told themselves was that whatever haunted the wasn't real, and that would always make the bad things go away. And yet Yin loved mentioning that fact. She paraded it around every opportunity she could, just to remind Yang how deep into madness she was being driven. It gave the other endless satisfaction to see her squirm, and even as Yang turned away so her face wouldn't be seen, Yin still found a way to mock her.

" _Come on, you can at least look at me,"_ Yin sighed. _"I saved your life back there. You should be thanking me."_

"How? What exactly should I thank you for?" Yang asked, confused.

" _For warning you about the bird, for helping you get to the car,"_ Yin explained.

"What are you talking about?"

" _That burst of energy that got you up from the dirt,"_ Yin stated. _"Didn't you feel how the power suddenly returned to your legs? How you were able to carry Blake on your shoulders when before you could barely stand? Hell, how you're standing literally right now? That's me inside of you, giving you my strength."_

"Bullshit."

" _Not bullshit. You didn't really think you were able to power through all by yourself now, did you?"_ Yin gloated. _"We're one and the same. Your body is a vessel for both of us, and when you're too weak to go on, that's when I get to take over. That's when we come alive."_

"You aren't anything," Yang insisted.

" _But I am. I'm so much more than you could imagine,"_ Yin promised. _"I mean, think about it. We survived a Grimm attack because of me. All of the others—no matter how many weapons they had or how talented they were—stood a chance against that beast, but we survived. We thrived. Hotwired a car. Carried a wounded friend to safety. We're like true Huntresses."_

"We almost died" Yang reminded her.

" _And yet we didn't. Do you know why?"_ Yin asked excitedly. _"Because you decided to be a goody two shoes and wear a seatbelt. I never would have thought of that. I always thought those TV commercials were full of crap. 'Buckle your seatbelt. Don't do drugs. Stay in school.' Stuff like that was just propaganda trying to keep us held back, or at least I thought. But I learned something today. That's because of you."_

Yang couldn't keep track of what she was saying. Her other was a mess of contradictions. One minute she was getting insulted and the next everything was all hugs and kittens. She had to be getting played. It was just another tool to mess with her.

" _I'm not lying,"_ Yin said quickly, suddenly reading her thoughts. _"You and I work well together. I have the power and determination and the grit to push us forward, and you have the decency and common sense. If you stopped resisting me and let me help you, think of all we could accomplish together. I don't know why you won't let me have a little more control."_

"Because you're evil," Yang snapped at her, finally gracing her other with her gaze. Yin seemed stunned for a moment, and then let out a soft chuckle.

" _Evil? I'm evil, now?"_

"Yeah, you're evil," Yang said strongly. "All you do is sit in the back of my mind and try to tear me down, and then laugh as you make me hurt people."

" _Those are some bold accusations."_

"They're true! You made me torture those Droogs, and snap at Yang, and say all of those mean things about Ruby, and you spent years and _years_ daring me to go out and get into trouble when I didn't want to. I can't even count all of the arguments and assaults and just… shitty things I've done because you forced me to do them."

" _I forced you?"_ Yin cracked up, a delighted smile dancing across her cheeks. _"I didn't realize that I'm the one who made you go out and party every night and screw around with crooks in Vale. Last time I checked, you're the one with all the muscle control. Newsflash, bitch: I'm. Not. Real! The fact that you think you can pass off all this guilt onto me is fucking childish."_

"Stop it!" Yang cried, clutching her head in both hands. "Stop gaslighting me! I know it was you. You creep into my thoughts and tell me to do things I'm not supposed to. You trick me into thinking that those beliefs are my own."

" _They're our thoughts, Yang."_

"No! No, they're not!" Yang said forcefully. "I don't think horrible things about people. I don't think about the ways that I would be able to hurt them, or cut them, or carve them up or all of these other awful things. That's you. It's all you. It's always been you."

" _I think we're back to the first stage of grief,"_ Yin joked, but Yang walked up to her and screamed in her face.

"God, just shut up! Please, just shut the fuck up for five goddamn minutes! Why do you hate me so much that you won't leave me alone?"

Yin could see the tears starting to form in Yang's eyes. The poor girl had a very long, arduous day. She was stressed, and reasonably so. Anyone would want to scream after what she had been through. Yin could feel the jolting pain from her spasms, and the ungodly throbbing in her neck from the collar, and the endless fear pooling in the pit of her stomach of being eaten and tortured and killed by the Grimm, and worse, watching the same happen to her friend. The poor girl had a lot on her mind. Maybe she could alleviate it. Friend-to-friend. Self-to-self.

" _I don't hate you, Yang."_

"Yes, yes you do…."

" _No, I don't,"_ Yin spoke softly. _"I've never hated you. I've hated lots of people, but I've never hated you. In fact, I want what's best for you. You need my help."_

"I don't want your fucking help," Yang said bluntly, wiping away tears.

" _Of course, you don't. But you need it,"_ Yin said calmly. _"You've always had a knack for failing to live up to expectations, haven't you? I know it has to be hard knowing you're always second to everyone else."_

"Stop acting like you know me," Yang demanded. "I don't care if you're a part of me, you _do not_ know me."

" _Of course not. Do you know why?"_ Yin asked. _"Because when I look at you, I don't know what I see. What are you even supposed to be? A Huntress? A partier? A rebel? A caretaker? All I see in you is a scared little girl who's spent her life putting on so many facades she forgot who she really was in the first place. I can't know you because there isn't a you to know; just fake smiles and fake confidence. And you wonder why she doesn't like you back."_

Yin gestured towards Blake, and Yang could not help but turn towards her. Blake was motionless except for the smooth rise and fall of her bloodied chest. Yang hoped she wasn't listening. She knew it wouldn't matter. Even if Blake could hear her, it's not like she would remember any of it. She couldn't remember her own name. But, still, she didn't want to be heard, because she didn't want Blake to know, even in her rawest state, just how far she was falling.

" _Blake sees through you, Yang,"_ Yin stated. _"That's her greatest talent: calling out others for their bullshit. And bullshit is all you are, Yang. It's all you've ever been."_

Yang gritted her teeth. "Without you… right?"

" _I'm not the answer to everything,"_ Yin purred, leaning in closer, her pale skin almost glowing in the darkness of the cave. _"But you and I both know that the moments in your life where you felt like your truest self are when I was coursing through your veins. And that's all I really want from you: to be your truest, best self."_

Yang looked deeply into her other's red eyes, searching for any animosity or anger, but she found none. As far as she could tell, her doppelganger was sincere. She felt her heart drop into her gut. She didn't want Yin to be honest with her. She wanted the insults back. She wanted the cruelty. It would have been easier if Yin was simply awful. Then she could at least pretend that it was worth dismissing.

Blake began to stir, and Yang quickly snapped her attention to the real person lying in the cave. Yang hurriedly kneeled beside her, taking one of Blake's slashed hands in her own.

"Blake? Are you okay?" she asked gently. She checked back towards Yin, but her other had disappeared from the cave.

"Were you saying… something to me?" Blake muttered tiredly. She could not even open her eyes. Yang sighed, brushing her hair out of her eyes regardless, trying to look at her innocent face.

"Um… no, Blake. Just talking to myself," she said sweetly.

"Oh," Blake moaned disappointedly. "Did you find Ilia yet?"

"No, Blake. I haven't found Ilia," Yang said as relaxed as she could. Blake scowled, shifting her position subtly.

"Can you just…" Blake muttered, resisting the urge to doze back off into unconsciousness. "Just… tell her if you see her…. I'm sorry for everything I did. That I didn't… mean to hurt her. Tell her… please?"

Blake shuddered from the cold, and Yang instinctively lied down next to her. She pressed her jacket more tightly around Blake's shoulders, and then pulled her head into her neck, wrapping her arms around her in a warm embrace. She felt Blake's breath on her collarbone, jagged and weak. Yang brushed the last of her tears away in Blake's hair, and she shivered as she looked out past her friend and out the face of the cave. She watched the rain stream down the entrance in smooth streaks, but more importantly, she watched the skies, searching for any movement that cold spell their end.

She would keep watch all night if she had to. Anything to keep Blake safe. In the morning, she would come up with a plan to leave Forever Fall, assuming that both of them lasted the night.

"Sure, Blake. I promise."


	48. Glimmer of Hope

**Note: Hey. Chapter up now! Getting close to the end of the arc now. We know these last two chapters haven't had a lot of progression in them, so hopefully, this should get things moving at a more brisk pace. Hope you are all looking forward to new things ahead. Enjoy.**

* * *

Yang did not realize she had fallen asleep until she had woken up. The first rays of dawn crept into the entrance of the cave, and she stirred gently from her slumber, her face still pressed into Blake's hair. The first thing she realized was just how cold she was. She had given up the one thing to keep her warm so Blake would be able to rest, and she was suffering for her generosity. Se reflexively flexed her toes to make sure she could still feel them, and thankfully, she felt all of them, though the sensation was barely present. Cuddling up to her partner for the night was probably the only reason she did not freeze to death in her shorts.

That was the second thing she realized: Blake cuddling up to her chest. Not moving.

Yang snapped awake. She pushed herself up to her knees and quickly rolled Blake off of her and onto her back. Blake looked pale. Paler than she was supposed to. Or at least, she thought. The limited light made it difficult to tell. Yang felt her heart begin to race as the dread started to take over. Yang pressed her palm to her forehead and fearfully noticed how cold and clammy her skin was. Her chest did not appear to be moving, either. Yang's breathing hastened. Maybe she was still dreaming. She had to be. Blake couldn't be dead. That was impossible. Simply impossible. She would wake up at any moment. Yang, desperate to prove herself wrong, placed two fingers to Blake's neck and waited for the gentle pulse that would prove her wrong.

She felt nothing.

And then she screamed.

"Blake!" Yang grabbed onto her friend's shoulders and shook her as hard as she could. "Blake, wake up! You need to wake up right now! Please, please don't be dead. You can't be dead. You can't be dead, Blake."

Blake didn't move. Yang felt a flood of panic like she never experienced before. Her friend was dead. Gone. She wasn't coming back. Or was she? How was she supposed to know? How long had Blake been like that? Maybe it was possible to save her. Somehow. She didn't know. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. CPR? Did she even remember the basic steps? She couldn't think clearly. She couldn't breathe. She shouldn't have fallen asleep. If she only had the strength to stay awake, just for once stupid night, she maybe could have done something. She could have been there for her. She was a failure. Her weakness had just cost her a friend's life, and she had no idea what she was going to—

"Dumbass."

Yang's thoughts were cut short. Before she could even react, Blake casually reached up and grabbed onto her wrist, dragging her fingers back to her neck, this time moving Yang's digits lower on her throat.

"You need to put your fingers over here," Blake moaned. She moved Yang's fingers into the correct position, and only then did Yang finally feel the gentle pulse of Blake's heart, very much still alive. Yang stared at her friend first in shock, then in tremendous relief, and then a powerful rush of embarrassment. She was being an idiot. Of course, she had an excuse; the Aura collar had pretty much sapped away all of her brain power. But still, her own lack of thinking nearly caused her to suffer a heart attack. Naturally, Blake was cold and clammy. _She_ was cold and clammy. If she survived through the night, Blake could. Blake could survive anything. She deserved the insult.

But that was when Yang realized something else. "Wait, did you just insult me?"

"What?"

Yang's eyes went wide. "Blake… you just insulted me."

Blake groaned painfully, rolling onto her side away from Yang. "Yeah. I guess."

"And… and you just," Yang stuttered, a sort of wondrous confusion taking hold of her. "Wait a second. Can you tell me what your name is?"

Blake scoffed at the question. "What?"

"Do you know what your name is?" Yang asked impatiently. When Blake didn't answer, Yang forcibly rolled her back, causing Blake to swat at her arm.

"Ugh," Blake moaned. Her face was contorted in extreme discomfort, but she somehow found the strength—or maybe the tolerance—to answer the question. "Blake Belladonna."

Yang's heart skipped a beat. Maybe she was really was dreaming. The only difference was that she no longer wanted to wake up.

"And… do you know who I am?" Yang asked nervously.

"Who you are?"

"Please. Just… please tell me who I am," Yang pleaded. Blake tried to sit up, but Yang held her down so she would not overexert herself.

"You…" Blake, with a monumental amount of effort, managed to open her eyes, and took a long, hard look at Yang's face. Their gaze matched, and for the first time since they arrived in Forever Fall, or maybe the first time in possibly forever, Blake's gaze seemed clear and true. When she finally gave an answer, she gave one with certainty. "You're a cunt."

Yang did not respond at first other than returning a cold stare. And then, the most genuine smile broke across her face. The tears began to flood. She leaned down and picked up Blake into her arms, and she hugged her. She hugged Blake as hard as she possibly could, smiling and crying into her hair as the sun continued its early morning rise. Blake did not return the hug, but she didn't have to. At that moment, despite all of the pain, and the cold, and the fear, Yang felt like she had everything she ever wanted. She never wanted to let go of her ever again.

"Yeah. I am a cunt, aren't I?" Yang whispered gladly. "Welcome back, Blake."

* * *

Aura, as it turned out, was a hell of a miracle worker.

Blake sat against the rigid, rocky interior of the cave wall as Yang checked over her injuries. That singe, rogue tree branch that buried through their car window had done more than simply give them a good scare. By shattering the collar around Blake's neck, it allowed the Huntress to start regenerating her Aura almost instantly, and even in her severely disoriented state, Blake gathered so much intuition and experience over the years that she seemed to have enough wherewithal to direct that Aura to the proper locations on her body. Yang could see the results for herself; after carefully lifting up Blake's shirt past her midsection, she could see that the penetrating wound beneath her ribs had darkened and congealed, stopping the fatal leakage of blood. Yang checked her hands next, which strangely enough, almost concerned her more so. The cuts across Blake's palms were deep, and Yang's first major worry was that she had suffered nerve damage. A Huntress's hands were her most useful weapons. Without the use of her hands, Blake may have survived, but there would have been no way she could have continued to train at Beacon. It was almost a worse fate than death, in her mind, having put all her life's work into becoming one of the best fighters in the world only to have that future brutally taken away from her. It was that fear that caused Yang to be extra thorough as she forced Blake to test out her grip, flexing each of her digits together and then individually, testing their range of motion and sensitivity to the best of her ability. And it was because of that fear that Yang felt so relieved when, aside from some mild numbness on the outside of her pinkies, Blake's hands appeared to be fine despite their grizzly appearance.

Lastly, there was the matter of Blake's head, which unfortunately received the least amount of her Aura. The good news was that she could talk again in mostly full sentences, and she could identify her surroundings accurately. The bad news was that her memory of the night after she was stabbed was still horribly broken, and it was for that reason that Yang spent a solid twenty minutes recounting every detail she could. When she finished, Blake pursed her lips, resting her head back against the wall as she tried to process everything. Yang knelt beside her, gently placing her hand on Blake's thigh.

"So… yeah. That's pretty much everything," Yang stated candidly. That statement was a lie, however. There was one important person she left out of recap, for obvious reasons. But Blake didn't need to know about that, and it wasn't like that other person could tell Blake about it even if she wanted.

"Holy shit," Blake muttered. "So, does that make it twice now that we've nearly been killed by a Grimm by pure accident?"

"I guess so," Yang shrugged. "The universe must hate us, huh?"

"No. I think it just hates me," Blake said halfheartedly, clasping her head. "I feel like my brain is going to burst out of my skull. And I want to puke. And this cave is sideways."

Yang lightly smirked, nudging Blake in the arm. "Wow, _somebody's_ a drama queen."

"Fuck you," Blake muttered, though she could not help but crack a smile in return. The ribbing dulled the pain just a little bit. It almost made them forget they weren't at risk of dying at any moment. "You know who's a real drama queen? Mrs. Glass. Seriously, what kind of a name is that? How unoriginal can you get?"

"Yeah," Yang snickered. "What a loser. Can't believe I was ever scared of her."

"That's what happens when you don't have my incredible wit for a few hours," Blake joked. "You're completely hopeless without me."

Blake was right, of course. She was hopeless. She was lucky Blake hadn't seen how many times she completely broke down the day before, how just a few hours earlier she was so certain both of them were going to die at any moment. Blake would have laughed at her efforts to save them, and if she was in the right state of mind, she probably could have saved them from the Grimm singlehandedly with her cleverness. Blake was right about a lot of things. She was nowhere near ready enough to go out into the world no matter how many suburban streets she terrorized as a child. But Yang didn't let Blake know any of that. They were sharing a moment, and she was trying to do her best to stay positive, if not for her friend's mental health, then for her own. Luckily for her, the truth was that she was feeling better than she was previously. Blake's smile had a soothing effect on her muscles, and Yin must have been traumatized by all of the positivity in the air because she was nowhere to be found. Things were going so well, she actually may have been mistaken into thinking they had a chance to make it out of Forever Fall.

But, as it always did, reality came to punish her for her ignorance, and it was no sooner did she open her mouth to tell Blake how well she was feeling that the worst spasms of her entire life rocked her from head to toe. Her smile vanished and her skin went cold as she suddenly collapsed to the floor, her muscles tensing up so fiercely that she couldn't move. Blake gasped in shock and tended to Yang as well as she was able.

"Yang, what's wrong? Are you all right?" Blake asked fearfully. Yang couldn't answer. Her brain turned to mush. It felt like a bolt of lightning was just shot through her heart. The pain was so intense that she couldn't breathe as if her chest had been frozen in place. Her ankles flexed straight like an arrow, and her hands balled themselves into fists without her command, and the rest of her body removed itself from control as she shuddered intensely in Blake's lap.

She thought she was going to choke to death. She didn't. Thirty seconds after they started, the spasms suddenly stopped, and Yang's throat reopened, allowing her to desperately gasp for breath. She turned weakly in Blake's lap, her limbs weakly clawing at the stone around them.

"Oh my… oh my god…" Yang said feebly. Her eyes wandered around the cave, unable to focus on everything, not even the extremely concerned Huntress directly watching over her. Blake gently brushed Yang's tangled hair away from her lips, and then, she noticed the collar around Yang's neck, and she ran her fingers across its slick metal surface as a startling revelation hit her.

"Wait a second, how long have you been wearing this?" Blake asked worriedly. Yang absentmindedly licked her lips.

"Since… yesterday. Midnight," Yang clarified the best she could. Even the act of speaking a few words seemed to take an extraordinary amount of effort.

"You've been wearing this for over a day?" Blake asked, stunned. "Do you know what this is?"

"Yeah. Why? Is… ow… is it bad?" Yang hissed. Blake carefully nodded, propping up Yang's head so she could more easily breathe.

"You're suffering from Aura withdrawal," Blake said with frightening certainty. "Your whole body is basically going into shock because it's not used to having such little energy."

Yang, staring blankly at the rocking ceiling, timidly forced out a smirk. "That sounds pretty bad."

"Pretty bad? I have no idea how you aren't dead," Blake admitted. "And you said you fought off a Grimm wearing this thing?" Blake grimaced, palming her forehead in frustration. "Dammit, how much did I miss when I was blacked out?"

"Hey," Yang said tiredly, "this isn't your fault."

"I can't believe I let something like this happen," Blake ranted to herself. "You were fighting to protect me from everything all while you could barely move, and I was just completely useless. Dammit…"

"Don't beat yourself up," Yang stated, trying to push herself onto her elbows. "You made a bad move and got injured. These things happen."

"No, they don't. Not like this!" Blake protested. "And now _you're_ the one who's trying to comfort _me_. This isn't how this works. It's not… I can't… argh!"

"What's wrong?" Yang asked sincerely. Blake moved her hand away from her face, and Yang saw the intense frustration that was burning within her.

"You… you can't _die_ for me," Blake finally stated, her voice cold as ice. "I'm not supposed to be worth that to you."

Yang was not sure how to process that answer. She certainly was not expecting anything of the sort. Was she supposed to make a joke about it? Keep the mood light? She didn't think that was possible anymore. The only thought that crossed her mind was a sincere one. She summoned some of her strength to grab Blake's hand, and to the other girl's surprise, bring it down to her heart.

"Of course, you are. I mean, you'd do the same for me, right?"

Yang's eyes were hard to argue with. They were so earnest, and her words were so pure that Blake didn't have a clue what to say to her. The words were familiar, and they brought back a flood of memories she wasn't ready to experience again. Cool beach air. A night sky that was so clean she could see bright stars in every direction. A towel at her back. A smooth hand molded perfectly into her own. A timid voice whispering in her ear something that should never have been said: _"I love you."_ Blake didn't respond back then, either. She could never bring herself to say the right thing in the moments when they mattered, not that she ever knew what it was. If she had been honest then, she might have been able to salvage that bond she grew to care very much about. It would have stung, but she liked to think she could have done it. She liked to live in the regret. She felt it was natural: a trail of broken relationships.

But Yang was so pure at that moment, she couldn't be honest. And yet she couldn't help but fall into her either, and that confusion only served to hurt her. Yang, for what it seemed, didn't care one way or another what Blake's response was going to be. She had already convinced herself of the answer. Another familiarity. Why the hell did they have to be so alike?

Blake only had a few seconds to reflect on it, however. Her ear twitched, and suddenly she snapped to attention, turning quickly towards the entrance of the cave. Yang mouthed something to her, but Blake placed a finger to her lips and shushed her. She whispered. "Footsteps."

Yang rolled out of Blake's lap, forcing herself to rise to her knees. She tried to refocus, staring out the cave into the vast sea of red. She didn't hear anything, but she had no reason to doubt her partner. Her first thought was that the bird had come back for them. She prayed it wasn't the case. They were defenseless, and it wasn't like the cave gave them much room to hide. But how did it find them? Did Grimm have more powerful senses than she realized? She crawled beside Blake and leaned forward, trying to catch any sound. She was hoping to pick up the direction the noise was coming from, at the very least. They waited patiently, straining their hearing as best they could for what felt like the world's longest sixty seconds before they heard something together. Only it wasn't footsteps, and it happened to be coming from directly outside the cave.

"Hey, I'm sorry! You're a lot heavier than you look!"

Yang and Blake exchanged stunned glances. The voice was male. Broken. A bit whiny. They recognized it. The girls helped each other to their feet, leaning on each other as support, and they exited the cave and turned sharply to the left. They moved only a few feet before they moved past a thick tree trunk, and upon rounding the corner, they came face-to-face with the source: Sun Wukong, his hair and fancy clothing disheveled and filthy, and the very short, very bloody and very irritated woman that he carried around on his back, clinging to his shoulders for support. The four of them froze suddenly in their tracks before Sun jumped back and screamed, tripping over an exposed root in the soil and falling backward, causing Neo to spill to the floor. She growled in rage, and slapped Sun on the arm repeatedly, completely ignoring the appearance of her two former hostages towering over her.

"You!" Yang said accusingly.

"Ow, don't scare me like that," Sun complained, rubbing his injured arm. Neo continued to slap away at it, striking the knuckles on his opposite hand as he tried to tend to the wound. "Can you please stop, boss? You're hurting me."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Blake moaned.

"Hey, you don't have to sound so annoyed to see me," Sun stated. Yang scowled, and fighting through the lingering spasms in her leg, summoned the energy to kick Sun hard in the shin. He yelped in pain. "Come on, stop with the Sun abuse!"

"You piece of shit," spat Yang. "How the hell are either of you still alive?"

"I don't know. The same way you are?" Sun guessed. "When that crazy bird attacked, I bolted into the forest, but I got lost. I eventually found the boss hiding out among the trees, and we've been trying to find our way through here since yesterday. It's been pretty rough."

"You think you've had it rough?" Yang snapped. "You lied to us, kidnapped us and tried to sell us to a psychopath so she could experiment on us!"

Sun brushed himself off, rising to his feet and standing his ground defensively. "Look, I didn't make the decision to sell you off to that crazy glass lady. I tried talking Neo out of it, but she didn't listen to me. I honestly thought both of you were pretty cool."

"You think we're going to believe that?" Blake said accusingly.

"What reason would I have to lie?" Sun shook his head.

"So, we won't kill you," Blake said immediately. "That's literally the obvious reason why you would say that."

Sun thought about it for a moment. His nose scrunched, and he awkwardly shifted his posture. "I mean, yeah but… it's not true. Right, Neo?"

Neo groggily rose to her feet, and Yang took no small amount of pleasure in seeing how far the Droog Mistress had fallen. A bit over a day before, she was eating prime rib steak on expensive dinnerware with staggering income, a burgeoning crew of murder-happy thugs at her disposal, and the whole world at her fingertips. And now, bruised and battered, she could barely stand on her own two feet. Her elegant clothing had been ripped to pieces. Her top hat: gone. Her umbrella: gone. Her right arm: still there, though considering how it seemed to twist in the wrong direction and was a brighter shade of red than any tree in the entire forest, that was the best thing she could say about it. Her chest was stained with the remains of the black ooze that drizzled onto her from the Grimm's mouth, and unfortunately, its stench tended to linger. She was a criminal empress, and yet to Yang, she looked like a child. The Droog Mistress stumbled over to the girls and eyed them carefully. Her face was an enigma, though Yang could take a few guesses as to what she was thinking. Fury at the idea of being betrayed. Fear for her own life. Frustration over the fact that of all the men who were viciously slaughtered, somehow those two practically unconscious, beaten-to-an-inch-of-their-lives bitches somehow managed to survive.

Then, Neo began signing. She struggled to go through the motions with only one arm, but she managed to throw out plenty of shapes and signifiers without ever breaking eye contact with either of them. Yang watched as the movements turned to a bur before her very eyes, and after a few seconds of failing to keep up, she glanced at Sun for any help. He only shrugged in return. "Sorry. I don't speak sign language."

Yang turned to Blake next, only to be met with the same response. Neo paused at once. Her hand froze in midair, and she closed her eyes, taking a long, steady, incredibly frustrated breath. She tried her best not scream, and instead settled for slowly extending her middle finger up in the sky, and keeping it held there for as long as she possibly could. Blake nodded.

"Hey, Yang, I know what that means."

Neo grunted, and stormed away, turning her gaze to the floor. She looked around in a scrambled rage until she finally found something that suited her tastes. She yanked a large stick off the floor and approached the girls again, and for a moment Yang was certain that Neo was going to try to stab them again. But she did not; Neo harshly jammed the stick into a soft patch of soil, and with her one good arm, she dragged her tool through the dirt, crafting a message through the earth. When it was finished, Neo pointed to it sternly and Yang stared at it in disbelief.

 _IM SORRY_

"Sorry?" Yang asked, stunned. "You're sorry for trying to have us sold and killed? Are you being serious?"

Neo nodded profusely, but Blake simply scoffed. "Both of you are terrible liars, you know that?"

Sun stamped his foot in protest. "Hey, I already said I wasn't lying."

"No one asked you, Sun," Blake said harshly. "We're not stupid. We all know that your plan went to shit and now your desperate to save your own asses. You don't really care about us, and that's not why your apologizing. If you want to beg us for help, then just cut to the chase already."

Neo rolled her eyes and swashed her boot across the soil, erasing the text underneath. She scribbled into the dirt furiously, her lettering long and jagged, but still eligible enough to get her point across.

 _GLASS=CRAZY_

"Yeah, no shit," Yang noted. "She's also way stronger than any of us probably are, and definitely unkillable right now. Count us out if that's your endgame. We're not going on a revenge mission for you."

"We don't want revenge," Sun said quickly, rushing to Neo's side and wrapping his arm around her, drawing her in close to him much to her surprise. "We don't want to do any more fighting. We're all out of fighting. Totally empty. The boss agrees."

The boss shook her head like mad, very much not agreeing. Sun smiled away her resistance.

"Well, I don't know what else we can do," Blake admitted. "I don't know how we're supposed to get out of here, and even if we found a way out, there's still that bird flying around somewhere out there."

"That's where I come in handy," Sun said excitedly. "I can climb trees like nobody's business. If I get to high enough ground, I'm sure I can find a way back to the vans. I have the keys to one of them on me right now."

"Hopefully it's not the one in the front of the line," Yang stated miserably. "We totaled that one trying to escape."

"Nah. The third one," Sun clarified. "The boss always makes me take up the back."

"And so, then what?" Blake asked suspiciously. "We just drive off into the sunset? Or are you going to take us back to your hideout and try to pawn us off to a different homicidal maniac?"

" _Or_ , alternatively, I drop you both off at Beacon or wherever it was you attended school, and we try to forget any of this ever happened." Neo freed herself from Sun's grasp and smacked him on the arm in admonishment. The wound stung, but he muscles through the slight pain and tried his best to clear his throat and look the girls in the eyes like a gentleman should. "I totally get that neither of you trusts us. That's fair. We did some pretty awful things to you, and you probably would rather see us die here than ever think of helping us escape. But the way I see it, you two aren't going to make it through this in your current conditions, and if I was a giant man-eating bird, I would say that this monkey boy is pretty darn tasty looking. We have a lot better chance of making it out of this by working together. So… extremely temporary truce?"

Yang gritted her teeth. She didn't want to agree, and yet without even thinking about it, she knew she was going to. Because she had to, didn't she? It was one of those situations where it would be stupid to say no to help from anyone, especially in their desperate state. Blake was still suffering from severe concussion symptoms, and she could barely talk without getting crippling muscle spasms. Would Sun and Neo actively be able to do much if they encountered the Grimm again? Likely, no. But would it help? She did not know how it couldn't be of use. Yet she wasn't accepting the offer yet, and she turned to Neo with sharp anger in her eye.

"I'll consider it…" Yang said carefully, "if you get _her_ to promise that she'll pay us back for dragging us into this mess."

Neopolitan crossed her arms, pouting like a child. She was the Droog Mistress. She didn't take demands from anyone, she made them. She ran the criminal underworld of Vale. She wasn't going to let some prissy teenager in a pair of short shorts boss her around. She was far too dignified for such a thing. At least, that was what she thought until she suddenly remembered the extraordinary amount of pain in her arm, and realized that she would probably die in the forest with just Sun's incompetence by her side. Plus—and it was something she was glad Sun neglected to mention—the girls looked yummy enough as it was. Maybe the Grimm would get distracted. Who knew? With a reluctant sigh, erased her previous sentence, and with her stick, she drew out a new message as simply as she could make it.

 _I O U_

Only Yang shook her head. "Is that it?" Neo angrily snarled at her and then scribbled hastily into the dirt.

 _I O U x5_

Yang looked hard at the dirt, and then cautiously towards Blake, who had spent the last few seconds pondering their situation in silence. "So, Blake? What do you think?" Her partner never read the message. She wasn't able to. She merely examined their surroundings closely, trying to distinguish where Sun was supposed to end and Neo was supposed to begin. She could not exactly tell, and with that in mind, her answer was an easy one.

"I think it's time to get out of this fucking forest."


	49. An Unstable Alliance

**Note: Hey, everyone. Glad to be back. We have been horribly, horribly sick these past two weeks, which is why we haven't uploaded anything. But we're almost done with this arc, and we are so thankful to everyone who has stuck around and supported us all the way through. You people are the best, and we hope we can make you happy. We're going to try our best to finish the next chapter by next Sunday, but you know, we probably won't. We can dream though. Thank you, and enjoy.**

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Getting out of that fucking forest was easier said than done. For starters, figuring out where they were supposed to go was a challenge. Sun did as he promised. He climbed to the highest tree in his immediate vicinity, and within seconds, he located the cliff edge from where Yang and Bake plummeted, where the other vans that were the key to their escape were located. However, it quickly became obvious that their previous route was unviable in their present physical state. They needed an alternate path, and the best Sun could offer was a rough approximation of the path he and Neo took during their escape.

And he did mean a _rough_ approximation. The path he took around the cliff was long and confusing, as he himself admitted he wasn't in the best mindset as he was fleeing for his life. Because of that, navigating their way back took far more effort than they would have thought. Only complicating matters was their ever-growing concerns of the bird reappearing since the storm passed. They constantly had to keep watch on the sky—they learned firsthand that they would have little warning of its arrival—and their movement practically slowed to a crawl. Not that the last bit was particularly debilitating. Walking at anything more than a brisk pace wasn't exactly possible with Neo riding on Sun's back and the Huntresses leaning against each other for support.

"So… it's a fairy tale monster?" Sun asked, terribly confused.

"Sort of," Blake grunted. She and Yang trailed behind him as he cautiously stepped over an exposed tree root, huffing as he struggled to carry Neo's weight. Still, he was the fittest of the bunch and knew the way, which meant he had to take the lead.

"And you also fought one of these before? And wounded it?"

"We wounded this one, too," Yang clarified. "They have weak spots: eyes, their insides, and stuff. But you saw their skin is unbreakable."

"Man, this is nuts," Sun reflected loudly. "How the heck did I get caught up in something like this?"

"Because you're a terrible person," Blake noted. "And karma. Lots of karma."

"I'm telling you, I'm not a bad guy," Sun said clearly.

"Tell that to girls you didn't kidnap," Blake sneered.

"Okay, can we not?" Yang asked with a pained groan. "I don't want to die arguing about this. Right now, I just want to get out of here."

Neo glanced backward atop Sun's shoulders and shot Yang a respectful "I-agree-with-you-sister" look. The woman may have been a psychopath, but she had her priorities straight. That was a necessary characteristic to have when running a business like hers. She had seemingly softened on the idea of exacting pure revenge on Mrs. Glass, and had set her sights on escape into the outside world. It was one of the few positives of their newly beneficial relationship. Yang couldn't get much from Neo, but at least she could get that. The Droog Mistress had motioned to Yang earlier in their hike that she had thrown away the key to her collar, and she had forgotten what she had done with their weapons. But she had some quiet for the next few minutes. At least until the bird came to eat them all.

Blake grunted sharply, and suddenly doubled over, clutching at her abdomen. Yang gasped and knelt down beside her, holding her teammate carefully as Blake massaged her ribs and winced.

"It's okay. I'm fine," she said quickly, trying to assuage Yang's fears before they escalated out of control. Not that it worked, of course.

"We could take a rest if you want," Yang suggested, but Blake powered back to her feet, shrugging off the advice.

"The longer we stay here, the more dangerous it gets," she said worriedly. "I'll make it. I've lived through worse."

Blake wrapped her arm around Yang's shoulder for support once more, and Yang tenderly took clasped her hand, gently squeezing her knuckles. It was the only gesture of comfort she could really offer. She knew that under any normal circumstance, Blake would have hated it. Blake hated all affection; she was far too self-serious for things like that. No hugs. No smiles, unless they were at someone else's expense. Blake was, all things considered, a bit of a rotten person. And yet, Yang cared for her all the same, and she knew that there were parts of Blake that were still very Human and those parts were probably quite frightened by the bird, and the forest, and her own encroaching mortality. And Yang needed to comfort that, and Blake responded only with a soft look, the kind that Yang had never really seen from her before. She didn't know what to make of it. But she liked it. It looked nice.

The nice look only lasted for a moment, however, before it was replaced with something different: a cool, nervous glance towards Sun and Neo, who continued on their journey through the forest pace unchanged, not even hesitating with concern towards them. Blake did not speak a word, knowing whatever she said would be picked up by Sun's advanced hearing, but she didn't need to. Her eyes spoke volumes, and Yang understood at once.

"They're going to betray us the second they get the chance."

Yang nodded in agreement. She wasn't stupid. She knew who she was dealing with. They wouldn't have been Droogs if they had been dependable. The only questions were when they were planning on making their move, and likewise, when did she and Blake need to prepare to fight back. She wasn't particularly optimistic, but she knew hitting them first and hitting them hard was likely their only chance for survival.

They had plenty of time to formulate that plan. Sun wasn't going to betray them until they dealt with the bird, and that meant she could prepare. At their first opportunity, Yang and Blake grabbed two of the sharpest, heaviest sticks they could carry, and got accustomed to holding them in their grasps. It was a paltry defense, but it was something, certainly better than fighting with their bare hands. Blake was already thinking of something better. She prodded Yang to get her attention, making a little finger gun with her hand until the idea got across. They were likely going to come across the clearing where they were initially attacked, and that meant they would hopefully find the guns from Neo's bodyguards still lying around. A pair of guns would easily turn the tide in their favor, at least for the moment.

Yang couldn't keep track of how long they wandered. The most she could do was try to track the sun's rays as they rose through the trees. At some point, she felt them reach their zenith, and yet still they walked, the forest unchanging in front of them. She started to deeply despise the color red, and she felt her pace slow to a crawl. She was unbearably thirsty. Her last meal was on Friday before she and Blake left for their mission. And worse, her spasms only felt worse. She was kept aloft by Blake's support, but barely, and it might have been her imagination, but she was certain that those damned red colors seemed to fade just a little bit with each passing step. Still, she continued on. She had no other choice. She wasn't going to die yet. Not yet. Not yet.

"Hey, Blake," Yang muttered. It may have been four minutes since their last conversation or four hours, but she needed to talk to someone. She was going to go insane otherwise.

"Yeah?" Blake responded tiredly.

"Earlier, when you were out of it… you were saying some weird things."

Blake lit up with concern. "Things like?"

"You kept saying… you wanted me to find your friend, Ilia," Yang explained. "You said that you wanted me to tell that that you were sorry, and you didn't mean to hurt her. Does that make sense to you?"

Blake said nothing. She turned her head slowly to the ground in front of them, like she was lost in a daze. Yang gently nudged her out of concern, but Blake barely responded to her touch.

"I… I really said that?" she asked barely audibly.

"Why? What's so weird about that?"

"N-Nothing," Blake said awkwardly. Yang pursed her lips. She had gone through too much bullshit in the past forty-eight hours to be lied to, and Blake seemed to realize it as well because she sighed and relented only a few moments later. "It's just that… I don't know why I would say that?"

"You didn't hurt her?"

"No, I did," Blake confessed. "I just didn't know I would feel sorry for it."

Blake's tone carried a heavy burden. Yang was about to prod her, when suddenly, she collided into Sun's back, nearly knocking him over. She threatened to yell at him but stopped just short when she noticed him staring blankly out into the distance, petrified. Neo carefully climbed down from his shoulders, taking a cautious step into the open, and when Yang's eyes finally followed her movement, she too froze. They were back in the clearing, somehow. She was so out of it by that point that she wasn't sure she would recognize it under most circumstances. However, somethings stood out to her, primarily the large glass throne and wall, still stood in their same location. Yet, that was not what drew her gaze, and it was not what caused her mind to falter; rather, it was what lay in the center of the clearing that truly startled her.

A monstrosity. That was the only word she could think of to describe it, but there was an unnatural monstrosity resting there, dead center amongst the fallen leaves, and it was massive. It was assembled haphazardly, a grotesque combination of tree branches and trunks and leaves and, most horrifyingly of all, body parts, dozens of them, bloody and half-eaten pieces of former Droogs that had been piled together and bound with the same foul-smelling black fluid that the bird had puked over the interior of the van. It was at least eight meters wide and another tall, pressed into a concave disc, and its segments fractured and jutted out along the edges, severed hands reaching out into the forest for one last gasp at freedom. Yang could hardly fathom it, and she had no idea how else to describe it except for in the most disgusting possible terms until Blake muttered something that connected the dots in her mind.

"It's a nest."

Sun stuttered. "What? Are you sure?"

"Look at that thing," Blake said emptily. "What else could it be?"

"Do you think that Glass lady made this?" he asked, concerned. Blake shook her head, tentatively approaching the structure, dragging Yang unwillingly with her.

"No," she said hesitantly. "I think—I don't know—maybe the Grimm made this."

"You can't be serious," Sun said dismissively. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Yeah," Yang agreed, pulling back on Blake, stopping her teammate in her tracks. "Why would it build a nest?"

"I mean, why not?" Blake wondered aloud. "It is a bird, after all. Don't birds build nests all the time?"

"But it's not a real bird," Yang stated. Blake moved closer to the nest, her eyes fixated on one particular crook within its exterior, but Yang fought her back. "Hey, don't walk toward it!"

"It sort of is, though," said Blake, ignoring her partner's instructions. She was working through a theory. A preposterous one, but one that made sense to her in her more delirious state. And she wanted a closer look to confirm it, whether or not Yang wanted to join her. "Grimm seemed to be based on real animals. The one we encountered in the Emerald Forest was a bear, right? It was living in a cave, storing up Team CFVY like food for the winter. Maybe whenever those Grimm are created, they don't just take on the appearance of a certain animal, but some of its behaviors."

"I'm pretty sure bears don't fucking eat people," Yang noted.

"That's why it's a working theory," Blake said, dropping her protective stick and walking straight up to the nest, motioning to its edge. Yang stood back in disbelief. The psychotic woman wanted her to get closer to that _thing_. It smelled terrible, and the fingers sticking out of its edges reached out to her, beckoning her in. She looked overhead, expecting the Grimm to return to its home at any moment, but all she was greeted with was blue skies. That didn't mean they were safe, though, and she knew that the vans that were the key to her safety were so close there was no good reason why they should not have sprinted towards them as soon as they could. She reluctantly followed Blake, hoping to drag her friend away from the putrid nest before her infatuation with the object killed them all. And yet, as she got closer, Blake began to motion silently towards something stuck within the nest's walls, and as Yang finally stood side-by-side with her, and when her head was forcibly tilted in the right direction, she realized that she was wrong: there was _almost_ no reason why they shouldn't have left.

Yang finally caught a glimpse of what had grabbed Blake's attention, and she could not believe their luck. Wedged into the nest, between two thick branches, was the Atlasian Plasma Rifle, covered in black fluid, but still faintly glowing and humming. She could have sworn the rifle had been destroyed when the bird latched itself onto Neo's arm, but it had survived. Yang had been hoping for pistols, but nature had finally decided to be kind to them for once. She looked to Blake for guidance, praying that her teammate was thinking the exact same thing as her, and when she received a knowing glance back, she realized what they had to do at that moment. She wasn't sure she would even be able to lift the thing, but Blake nodded confidently towards her, and together, they leaned into the nest.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" Sun asked, beginning to approach. He only took a step or two toward them when they pulled away from the nest together, turning at him while holding the massive cannon between them. He jumped back in shock, while Neo stared wide-eyed at their discovery from a few feet behind him, her mouth hung open.

"Also, we found this," Blake stated, flicking her gaze down at the rifle. Sun laughed, and neither of them could tell if he was incredibly relieved or severely nervous.

"That's… that's pretty awesome," he said, putting his hands up defensively. "We might actually have a defense against the Grimm now."

"Yeah," Blake said proudly. "Also, you look a little uncomfortable, Sun? Something wrong?"

"Well, you are pointing that thing directly at me," Sun admitted, taking a step backward. Neo continued to stare awkwardly at the pair of them, which only further confirmed Yang's suspicions.

"Are you sure that's it?" she questioned. "It has nothing to do with the fact you were planning to betray us the second we got to the vans?"

Sun quickly glanced back at Neo, who only responded by throwing up her hands into the air in surrender, and when he returned, he flashed the most charming smile he could muster.

"What? _No_ …"

"No?" Blake asked doubtingly.

"Nuh uh."

"So, that gun your boss has been keeping strapped to her ankle; the reason she wasn't showing us that is just for the surprise factor, and not because she's planning on shooting us once she doesn't need us as bait anymore."

Neo did not move for a long moment. She opened her mouth as if considering saying something important, then she looked to her left, clicked her tongue, hastily raised her leg and pulled up one of her tights, grabbed the small handgun strapped to a piece of leather around her flesh, and then without hesitation, tossed it to the ground in front of Blake and Yang before throwing her hands back up into the air, looking as innocent as she could.

"Yeah," Yang smirked. "That's what we thought."

She could not deny it: She was somewhat enjoying herself. Why would she not? All those two ever did was strip their lives away from them. She was simply taking it back, by whatever means necessary. They treated her like merchandise, so getting to exert her dominion over them? Exhilarating. The power that drained from her muscles suddenly returned to her, and at that moment, she felt like she could do anything, so long as those monsters remained at the opposite end of that barrel.

But why not go further? Her mind wandered to the trigger, and her finger began to move toward it automatically. Why did they deserve mercy? What contributions did they ever make in their lives? She could end their miserable existences right at that moment, and the world would be better for it. She and Blake probably didn't need that extra rifle shot anyway. The Grimm was miles away. Not an issue. They couldn't let it go to waste. That would be crude. They needed to use it, and for a good cause, too. Her rationale was clear. If she let them live, how many people would she be endangering? So many girls just like them lived in Vale, only they could not stand up for themselves. Really, she would be doing them a favor. A _wonderful_ favor. Hell, she would be doing the whole damn _Kingdom_ a favor. All she had to do was pull a trigger. That wasn't so hard, _right?_ Pull. A. _Trigger_. _It wasn't difficult. End their lives. Snuff them out. Pull the fucking trigger, Yang. Blow them to smithereens. Pull the trigger. Pull the trigger. Pull the trigger. Pull the trigger. Pull the trigger. Pull the trigger. Pull the—_

"Yang, let's go."

Yang blinked. A deep shudder ran through her. Blake was right. They had to go. Those other thoughts washed away from her mind before she had time to truly ponder them. Maybe that was for the best.

With a forceful gesture, Blake directed the two Droogs to begin moving, and so they did, hands in the air, marching slowly through the forest. On their way, Blake picked up the handgun that Neo discarded and tucked it into her waistband. There was no use in leaving that lying around. The final minutes of their journey were easily the most stressful. It was all because it seemed far too easy for what they were dealing with. They knew that the vans were right there, so tantalizingly close, and that didn't seem right. At any moment, they expected the bird to strike out at that, or they expected it to be standing in front of the vans, waiting for their arrival, or perhaps Mrs. Glass would burst out from behind a tree and jab at them with glassy spears. They were ever-cautious, and even when they saw the forest break off the in the distance, and they could see the glimmer of metal of the vans, and even when they were fifty feet away, and then twenty, and then ten feet, they never let up their guard, because they had seen this before, and they knew they weren't ever truly safe.

The sun beat down on them hard as they stepped onto the hot pavement. It was déjà vu; the vans, the sweltering heat, the clarity of the view over the cliffside where the road, the damning paranoia of an immediate attack. It felt both like it happened a few seconds ago and also an eternity. They could see the relief pouring over Sun's face as he realized that, just perhaps, he wasn't going to die in Forever Fall. Neo, as always, was impossible to read, but the Huntresses suspected there was some jubilation in that strange head of hers. Yang was almost tempted to peer out into the greater forest beneath to search for their previous escape vehicle, torn open and stuck upside-down somewhere out in the distance.

But they didn't have time. They couldn't afford to delay. Not again.

It was decided silently between them that Blake would take the passenger seat while Yang would sit in the back. It was risky, but the alternatives weren't much better. Neither of them trusted their own health well-enough to drive, the front of the van only seated two, and since they sure as hell weren't letting those two stay together and drive them blindly through Vale, that meant splitting up. The pair led Neo to the back first, and Blake carefully helped Yang into the backseat, making sure she had a careful grip on the plasma rifle and maintained aim on the Droog Mistress. Blake kept the pistol, and upon saying a prayer to a god she didn't believe in and slamming the backdoor closed, she crawled into the passenger seat next to Sun, aiming at his chest.

"Come on, let's get going," she instructed. "You're taking us to Beacon Academy."

"I know, hold on a second," Sun said, struggling with the keys.

"You don't have a second," Blake snapped, shoving the gun in his direction. She took a deep breath and strained her hearing. She knew it was going to happen. Any second. She would hear wings flapping. Screaming. Talons on the roof. Something. It was there. She knew it. Where was it? It couldn't be that easy.

Sun started the engines.

It was going to happen literally any second. Blake knew it. Yang knew it. They both held their breath, waiting. Waiting for it.

The wheels started turning.

They were moving.

The Grimm was nowhere to be found.

One minute passed. Then two. Three. Four. Five. Yang sat impatiently in the backseat. She couldn't see or hear anything. She would only know it came when something crashed into them, but for some reason, she felt nothing. That wasn't entirely true; she felt the wheels over the pavement. She felt Neo's questioning, judging glare. She felt the remnants of the spasms in her muscles, and of course, she felt the tension brought about by the crazed psychopath threatening to lunge at her at any given moment. But the Grimm's presence? That wasn't there. At all. She supposed she never realized it, but it was always possible it died from its injuries. They did, after all, throw a grenade down its throat. It was also possible that it had just simply left. Forever Fall was a big place. Maybe it just left them alone. And she knew that she shouldn't think that because whenever she thought everything was fine, that was literally when something terrible seemed to happen. But she couldn't help it. She wanted everything to be okay.

In the front of the car, Blake was thinking much the same, only her paranoia was accompanied by constantly looking out the window for any suspicious shadows flying in the distance. The stress was unbearable, and she couldn't help but wonder aloud in order to distract herself.

"Why did you join the Droogs?" she asked unexpectedly. Sun didn't take eyes off the road, trying his best to navigate the winding turns along the forest's edge, but he did briefly pause in stunned defense.

"What? I already told you."

"You wanted protection," Blake stated. "But that's not what I mean. When most Faunus want protection, they go to the White Fang. You didn't. Why?"

"Why?" Sun asked, confused. "You don't know why I wouldn't want to join a bunch of terrorists?"

"Are the Droogs really any better?" Blake said doubtfully. "Seriously, why did you join? They would have taken a Faunus like you in a heartbeat."

"Because," Sun groaned. "Because… I don't know! The White Fang didn't seem right to me. They were really, like, what's the word… _ideological_. They were all about fighting for the great Faunus cause, and equal rights, and liberation—"

"And you hate all those things?" Blake sneered.

"No," Sun stammered. "Those are good. I'm glad people are helping Faunus. It's just… I've never been big on the whole 'your-identity-defines-you' thing. I want to live my life without having to worry about all that Faunus oppression stuff. Neo, she lets me hang around in a club all day and drink all the banana smoothies I could ever want. I don't have to fight or die for anything, or anyone. It's a good life."

"So… you're a coward," Blake said firmly. Sun scoffed.

"You have a lot of nerve, lady," he said accusingly. "Seriously, you hold me at gunpoint, and now you're judging me about what I do with my life. It sounds like your actually _mad_ that I'm not going around blowing people up."

"Not at all," Blake muttered. "I'm just saying: if you're going to be a monster—which you are—you can do something good with it. At least those terrorists actually have beliefs worth dying for."

Sun opened his mouth to counter. He was likely going to say something mildly witty. He liked saying things mildly witty. But he never had the chance, because as soon as he opened his mouth, he froze. The sound of the engine all but disappeared, and the space around them went quiet. He cocked sharply to the right and turned towards the passenger side window in fear. Blake's eyes were already wide, but she stared straight ahead, too terrified to look. It was distant, but growing louder quickly. Very, very loud. Very, _very_ quickly. They needed no help realizing what it was.

A broken, distorted mass of human screams, barreling towards them.

Sun turned the wheel as hard as he could to maneuver, but he was too late, and within a second, the Grimm collided into the side of their car with all its force, spinning them out of control and sending them colliding into the trees.


	50. Breaking Point

**Note: Hello, everyone! Welcome to Chapter 50 of LUBYP! We know we said we wanted to upload this by the end of June, but surprise, we got delayed. What can you do? But anyway, we've made it to Chapter 50, and what a crazy year and a half its been since then. We've had crazy school tests, jealous classmates, healthy economic discussions, you name it. We hope you've been enjoying reading this as much as we have been writing this. This is the longest story we've ever done, and it lets us express so many ideas and concepts, and we're barely halfway through volume I. We have no idea what the future holds or how long we can keep this going for (especially at our slow as hell pace), but sincerely, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you all so much for all the love and support. And now, to celebrate fifty chapters, let's finish up this way too long story arc already! Enjoy.**

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Yang slammed into the opposite wall of the van, Neo falling quickly on top of her. The vehicle screeched to a halt, and before she could even start to recuperate, her mind immediately jumped to the worst possible scenario. It felt like they were just hit by a freight train, but she knew what had happened beyond the metal walls. She needed to act. Quickly. She hurriedly shoved Neo off her the moment she regained her balance, and scampered to the plasma rifle, trying to catch her heartbeat as she wondered just why the hell the universe hated them so much.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit," Yang muttered, picking up the rifle and trying to reorient herself. She barely got to her feet before there was another crash against the wall of the van, and the entire body of the vehicle shifted beneath her, knocking her to her knees. The wall dented inwards, and for the first time, she heard it loud and clear: those sickening, dying cries of the Grimm. But they were off. The screams weren't as clear as they were before. They were ruptured, like they were being rewound on a scratched record player, mixed into a hazy echo of deafening static. She had enough wits about her to suspect the cause of the change. The beast was still injured from the grenade jammed down its throat, and it wanted its revenge. Yang felt only the tiniest bit of comfort in that, despite the circumstances.

It was wounded, which meant they could kill it.

That was another matter, as she found out when the Grimm bashed its head against the wall once more, its skull plate sending shockwaves reverberating in the backseat as the car shifted again, and she collapsed to the floor, knocked completely off-balance. The Grimm was relentless, and another bash of its head dented the metal to the point of breaking. Yang felt a pair of hands grab her shoulders, and Neo yanked her to the opposite wall as fast as possible, throwing her in the seat next to her. She grabbed the barrel of the gun and pointed it at the worsening dent, gritting her teeth and nodding furiously. But even as the car shifted once again, and the metal began to crack under the pressure, Yang held firm.

"Not yet! We only have one shot!" she screamed. Her entire body trembled. Her knuckles were white. The screams were getting louder, more desperate, and the banging against the wall increased furiously. It would get in. At any second, it would get in, and then what? She would shoot it. And then it would die. Simple. Easy. Maybe. She didn't know. She couldn't doubt herself. She couldn't think, or breathe, or move.

Those goddamn screams were _so loud_.

In the front seat, Blake was trying to gather her thoughts after nearly slamming her face against the dashboard. The beast was directly next to her window, bashing its head wildly against the truck, but for the moment, it ignored her. But Yang was in danger, and it would only be seconds before it broke through the hull. She had to act quickly. Her intuition took over. The glove compartment; the last van she was in kept grenades in the glove compartment. She had to hope Neo kept consistency. Her head still pounding, she instinctively swatted at the drawer until it popped open, and like before, an assortment of weapons spilled out onto the floor. She surveyed her options. No grenades, but something close enough: a flashbang. She grabbed Sun by the collarbone as he was still recovering from the shock of the attack, and shouted at him.

"Open your door, and move!" he instructed, and with a nod, he did as he was told while Blake unbuckled her seatbelt and rolled down the passenger window, letting the screams of the bird pierce through the air. The creature's wings flapped wildly as it struck the van, the wind blowing back her hair, and as she pulled out the pin of the flashbang with her teeth, she peered out the window, catching the bird's dead eyes not five feet away from her. She waited as long as she could before acting, waiting until the hull was breached and it could see its food within the van, and it was at the moment it fully noticed her that she threw the flashbang at its face, and then scrambled to the other side of the car. There was a _crack_ and a burst of light, and she heard the monster roar sharply in pain behind her as he scurried on all fours over the gear shift, on top of the driver's seat and onto Sun, who barely took a step out of the vehicle before she tackled him to the ground. Her feet barely left the car before the Grimm crashed its head through the open passenger window, thrashing about blindly at its prey.

Blake bought them time, but it wasn't enough. They needed an escape plan, and they needed it fast. The van's left side was pressed hard against a few trees, but it was still running, still operable. It was a better option than trying to run back to the third car, but they needed to take care of the Grimm. She tried to shove herself off Sun and back to her feet when another problem hit her: a deep, tearing pain beneath her ribs. "Dammit," she hissed. She doubled over, clutching at her chest. Did she reopen her wound? She couldn't tell. All she knew was that _something_ was very wrong with her.

She didn't have time to dwell. The Grimm shrieked, and then suddenly, it leaped into the air, and with its head still stuck in the window, it spiked its talons through the side of the wall. Then, it pulled. The vehicle scraped across the ground, its wheels skidding sideways, and Sun grabbed Blake's shoulders and moved her away from the car as the bird lifted it off the ground and carried it to the center of the road, dropping it on its side. The passengers within were thrown around the back of the car like ragdolls, but on top of the car, the bird pulled its head free from the window spread its wings and cried out in anger. It stared lifelessly at Sun and Blake, exposed in the middle of the road, and perhaps it was his muscles taking over him, but the Faunus took Blake by the hand and dragged her towards the forest, trying to find cover in the trees. The bird—its gaze still blurry—watched the fuzzy shadows run into the forest and it stood completely still for a long moment, contemplating what to do.

Then, it gave chase.

As the Grimm fled, Yang shoved her way out the turned over van, collapsing to her knees, panting violently. Her body hurt way more than it had any right to. She could barely lift the plasma rifle. She thought she would pass out at any moment. Tiredly, she turned her head, but as she saw the Grimm rush into the dense forest after its prey, she knew she couldn't give up yet. She glanced back at Neo, who was only just starting to stumble her way out the car, and sneered as she picked up the gun with all of the strength she could muster.

"Stay here. I'll be back."

Neo did not object as Yang took off into the forest, limping after the monster that stalked her friend, dragging the heavy gun behind her. She had no idea how her legs didn't fall out from underneath her. She was only motivated by one thing: saving Blake. At whatever the cost.

Blake could hardly stand herself, but with Sun guiding her, she kept moving. The sound of the bird was frighteningly close, but she didn't dare look behind her. Her eyes were transfixed on the ground as she narrowly dove in and out of the cover of the trees, barely jumping over their exposed roots. Sun pulled her forward, but he wasn't nearly as fearless as she was, and he checked back over his shoulder constantly, his eyes wide with terror.

"Move. Move. Move. _Move_ ," he repeated to himself. The Grimm's wingspan was too wide to fly beneath the trees, but it still moved fast on its legs. It was ungraceful, barreling into trees and stumbling over itself in its blinded state, but it was gaining ground. Blake could tell just by the panic on Sun's face. It was gaining ground _fast_. They needed to pick up the pace or outmaneuver it. A daring thought truck her. Find a way to lose it in the forest. Get to the other van. Escape while it was distracted. That could work. Maybe? Killing it was mostly out of the question. She had to survive first and to do that, all she had to do was stay on her feet.

It was almost funny how easily the wound reopened itself. She thought she had reinjured it before getting out of the van, but no, she had been mistaken. But when she took an awkward step over a fallen tree branch, and the flesh beneath her ribs tore open, she immediately felt it. And, unlike the first time she injured it when Neo pierced her with her sword when the shock of the injury was enough to dull her senses, she felt it _hard_. Her body simply gave up on her, and she faceplanted into the dirt, unable to do anything except scream in pain. Sun noticed her fall and tried to pick her up, but she had gone limp, and he couldn't drag her up to her feet before he saw the Grimm crashing its way through the trees not twenty feet from them. The beast paused, shaking its head furiously to knock off the many impacts it sustained through the forest before it finally set its eyes on them, its vision clear as the sky. Its toothy maw dropped open, and more of that ungodly black substance pooled out from its beak as it eyed its food excitedly.

Blake recoiled as it charged, closing her eyes as she braced for the bird's attack, but it never came. She heard the talons moving rapidly along the ground, but then she heard a struggle, and when she opened her eyes, she saw the bird being held back by three unexpected forces: Sun Wukongs, golden and glowing, pushing back against the beast with all their might just before her. The true Sun groaned in concentration behind her, his palms pressed together in front of his face as he focused everything he had on keeping the monster back.

"I can't keep this up forever," he said desperately.

Forever didn't need to pass. When Yang saw the bird struggling in the distance, she parked herself next to a tree, pressing up against it as support. It provided enough of a sturdy base for her to park the heavy rifle against it and steady her shot, and as she took aim, she tried to think through the logistics in her head of all the things that could go wrong. The path to the Grimm was clear but far, distant enough that the beast did not perceive her. She knew the shot could carry, but with the kickback, she was going to receive? She didn't know. She didn't trust herself. And that distrust was only made worse when she saw Blake still wasn't moving and was well within the blast radius. She would kill her. Unquestionably. But she needed to act. Somehow. Their defense wouldn't hold forever. If she adjusted her aimed, tried to hit its back—that would work, right? A grazing shot, but far enough to avoid hurting Blake. It took tremendous effort to move the barrel of the rife just an inch, but she had to do it. It had to work. She could save them. She just had to be precise.

" _You're going to miss."_

Yang's finger froze on the trigger. Yin. Not now. Anytime but now…

" _You're going to kill her with that gun. The radius is too big. If you hit the Grimm, you hit her as well. You know that. Are you really going to throw her life away?"_

But she had to. There were no other options. They were all alone. No one was coming for them. That rifle was their only hope.

" _And what if it doesn't work? What are you going to do then? Run? That worked out so well for you last time. Break down and cry?"_

Time seemed to slow down. The bird moved closer and closer, but Blake didn't move. She couldn't. She was hurting too much. She was hurting because of her. This whole mess was her fault. She shouldn't have tried to avenge Zelina. She shouldn't have fought the Droogs. She shouldn't have tried to escape in those vans. Every time she tried to do something right, she failed. Every single goddamn time. And once again, when push came to shove, she was going to fail again, all because she was too weak and too stupid to fire a gun. Blake was going to die. She was going to die, and it was all her fault, and then she was going to die, and there was nothing she could do to stop it because she was so _pathetic_ and _frail_ and _dumb_ and _worthless._

" _But it's not too late. You can still save her."_

No, she couldn't.

" _There's one option left. You know what to do."_

A thought emerged from the depths of her mind. One she didn't conjure. She bit it back. It wouldn't work. She was too weak. Or was she?

" _You can do this, Yang. But not alone. You know what to do."_

The bird inched closer. Blake shielded herself. Watching her be in so much pain, being so helpless drove a dagger through Yang's heart. She was going to die without her. The rifle wouldn't save her. Yin's voice screamed at her, pleading, angry, desperate.

" _We can save her. Do it. Please."_

Yang looked down at the plasma rifle. It was immensely powerful, more powerful than she could ever dream of becoming. It was locked onto its target, and all she had to do was pull the trigger, and she could possibly end their nightmare right then and there. One pull of the trigger. That was all it took. She held her entire future in her grasp, and that beautiful piece of Atlasian technology had everything she needed to save them. But in its current state? It was too raw, too explosive for its own good. It would kill them

Its strength was simply buried. Like hers.

Sun's concentration lapsed momentarily when he noticed a shape move swiftly in the distance. "What the hell is your friend doing?" Blake glanced up from the dirt long enough to find Yang amongst the trees, and when she spotted her, she could only stare. Yang dropped the rifle—their only chance at survival—to the ground, and after a few seconds of fumbling with its mechanics, opened up a panel on its spine. She pulled out a massive cannister, a metal fuel cell nearly the size of her head, and with a set of furious cries, began hitting the fuel cell against the nearby tree as hard as she could, over and over again. The spontaneous noise attracted the attention of the Grimm, and when it noticed the plasma rifle lying on the ground, its defensive instinct took over. It immediately turned sharply left, taking the path of least resistance as it started toward Yang, and the sudden change in direction was enough to throw Sun's clones off its wings. Yang saw the beast charging her out of the corner of her eye, but she didn't stop. She couldn't afford to. She had to break the cannister, just the smallest amount. The bird sprinted at her, almost tripping over itself in its blind rage, but it kept locked onto her, its gaze unwavering. She was close; just a few more precious seconds.

The bird lunged, but before it could land on its target, another shape dove out from the trees, colliding into its back. Neo had come from the trees, above its line of sight, and while she was light, the force of her jump was enough to knock the Grimm off-balance, buying Yang some time. The bird stumbled and shook, trying to wriggle the Droog Mistress off its back, but Neo tightly wrapped her legs around its neck, and with her free hand, she reached down to one of her pant legs, and pulled it up, revealing another pistol she kept tucked away for emergencies. With her one good hand, she pressed the pistol to the Grimm's eye, and with a growl, she pulled the trigger.

Constantly.

There were a series of loud bangs, and the Grimm's dozen voices screamed in unison. The Grimm's head shook violently, so much so that most of her shots missed even at point-blank range, but the few that went into its eye sent heavy spurts of blood out of the left side of its face. The bird tumbled to the ground, rolling onto its back, and Neo was thrown from her perch as the Grimm cried, somehow still alive as the bullets failed to pierce any deeper into its skull. Yang only half-watched from the tree nearby, too busy banging the fuel cell against the thick wooden trunk like an ape would smash together stones. She cracked it harder and harder, each strike taking the breath out of her, and as the Grimm started to rise back to its feet, and Neo began to run towards Sun and Blake for safety, she finally heard a subtle hiss. She pulled the cell back from the tree, dented and deformed, and from its most damaged edge, a drop of blue plasma dripped onto the dirt, sizzling upon contact with the floor. Yang's eyes went wide with disbelief.

She opened it. She couldn't believe she actually opened it. But she wasn't clear yet; next came the hard part. Yang took a deep breath—or the deepest one she could manage with the Grimm right next to her—and she tried to steady the hands that had been shaking for the past several days. She turned the open part of the canister towards her, pulling it in close to be as accurate as possible. She couldn't afford to slip up. She leaned back as far as she could, pulling back her chin towards the sky, and with the voice of Yin yelling at her in her ear telling her to take the plunge, Yang exhaled, and then pressed the slit of the fuel canister to her neck, pouring the plasma onto her throat.

Just a drop. That was all she needed, and so after a second, she threw the cannister as far away as she could. It was enough; a few drops of the burning hot plasma within dripped onto the collar around her neck, and she leaned forward suddenly so none of the excess liquid would fall onto her skin. She watched the droplets as they fell and bubbled upon contact with the soil, and she held her position so she didn't accidentally burn a hole through her neck. She immediately smelled smoke, and the crackling of the plasma against the metal was unlike any sound she had ever heard before. It was like acid, dissolving through the collar in a matter of seconds. She couldn't believe it was working. It was so absurdly dangerous, but that voice in her head was actually onto something. She just had to hold it.

" _That's it. That's it, Yang. Just a little bit longer."_

They didn't have a little bit longer. Yang could feel the heat of the plasma as the acid cut through the collar, carving a thick chunk out of the metal, but it wasn't moving fast enough. The Grimm recovered fully, its eye dripping blood over the matching forest floor and its bony face, but its remaining eye quickly found its way onto Yang, alone and defenseless so temptingly close by. It shook its wings, its whole body giving one great shudder before it stumbled towards its prey. Its mouth widen in anticipation, and Yang saw its near-infinite row of razor-sharp teeth approaching her out of the corner of her eye, but she didn't move. She couldn't. There was nowhere to go. It was practically on top of her, its expanded wings blocking out the forest around her. The Grimm moved slowly, crippled and bloody, but hungry still, and Yang heard the stirrings of its dozen voices in the back of its throat as it prepared to lunge.

And then a rock hit the bird in its wounded eye.

"Hey! Look over here, dumbass!"

Blake. No. Not again. Yang's gaze shot to the others. How Blake was standing, she had no idea. The Huntress powered herself to her feet by some force greater than herself and dragged herself away from Sun and Neo, who wisely made no effort to try and follow her. She hobbled away as fast as she could, gritting her teeth and clutching her ribs, which no doubt felt like they were about to fall out of her chest. She picked up another rock and threw it as hard as she could, striking the bird again in the eye, causing it to screech. Even wounded, her accuracy was perfect. Yang always knew her accuracy was perfect, from their fights against CRDL to the Droogs in Brooksbarrow. She hobbled behind the tree line as the Grimm gave chase, leaving Yang behind, and the blonde simply watched her go, stunned and confused and terrified for her safety. Blake was stupid, so incredibly stupid, and Yang felt a sudden fury claim her. Didn't she know that she was trying to save her life? Didn't she care? She wasn't supposed to endanger herself, not like that, not anymore. It was Yang's burden to protect her. That was only fair.

But then it struck her.

A return of the favor.

She actually did it, that psychotic bitch.

Blake ducked behind a tree as the Grimm barreled after her. Her adrenaline was the only thing left keeping her on her feet. Her mind was racing as fast as her heart. Yang destroyed the plasma rifle. Idiot. Dumb, stupid fucking idiot. Their only chance at escape: ruined. And yet she saved that dumbass's life anyway. She had no plan after that. Just save her. She did it purely on instinct, and as she dodged in and out of trees in a pitiful attempt to outmaneuver the bird just meters behind her, she realized she needed a battle plan, and fast. The Grimm made a lunge at her, its jaws wide, but it collided only with her afterimage. The real Blake rolled to the floor, tripping over loose tree vines she couldn't see. She skidded on her back as the Grimm looked around, disoriented for only a moment before it spotted her again, not so far away. She reached back for something to grab ahold of, anything at all to defend herself, and as her fingers wrapped around the only thing she could find in her vicinity, her resolution faded.

A stick. She found a stick.

Blake never realized that she was going to die until that moment. It was true that there had been times in her life before when she thought she was close to death. A few too many of those times happened just that weekend. But it was only really there, laid back against a tree trunk, clutching a pitiful stick as a monster more powerful than she could have ever imagined stood over her, eyeing her like a piece of meat, did she feel her consciousness slowly start to shut down and a dark chill run over her, like Death's hand brushing her softly. In all of those other times, she felt in the back of her mind that it wasn't over, that she could always manage to cheat her way through whatever was put in front of her. That ambition had left her. All that was left was revelation. She had no more strength, no more speed, or cunning, or anything left to give. That Grimm was going to tear her apart as its master commanded, and she would never find out why, because in a matter of seconds, she would cease to become relevant.

And it was all because of Yang Xiao Long. Dumb stupid fucking idiot Yang Xiao Long. She never thought she would die for anyone; she prided herself on her apathy towards all except a reserved few, and never did she think of Yang Xiao Long as one of them. Not that stupid girl who couldn't drive a car properly, that idiot who kept getting herself into nonsense fights throughout her teenage years, that moron who showed off her tits any chance she got because she thought her beauty was an accessory, that dumbass who tagged along with her on her suicide mission even though she had no experience, that student who fought and struggled and bled just to make sure that she wouldn't die when the mission went wrong and she had no one else to turn, who made nonstop jokes because she was trying to make Blake smile even when she didn't know she needed to, who cared about her more than anyone else in that whole worthless school, who gave her far too many chances when they both knew that she didn't deserve them. That worthless, stupid, moronic, loving, wonderful cunt, Yang Xiao Long—Blake was actually going to die for her.

Blake smirked as the Grimm lunged. Ilia would have laughed at her for being so pathetic.

The bird snapped its jaws, but then: it missed. Blake recoiled, but the bird's maw stopped directly in front of her face. It strained and struggled and screeched wildly, but no matter how hard it tried, it could not reach. It was like it was being repelled from her. Blake didn't understand until her gaze drifted. She looked beyond the Grimm's face, past its great flapping wings, and it was then she saw clearly that the beast wasn't being repelled; it was being _held back_. A woman stood behind it, familiar and yet completely foreign at the same time. In one hand, she held onto one of the bird's legs, holding it still, and in her other hand gripped a metal collar that was torn straight down the middle. She was hunched over, breathing heavy, all of the color having been drained away from her skin. Her hair was white and burned with fire more brilliant than Blake had ever seen, and her violent red eyes were locked directly onto the Grimm. The beast turned to her in ignorant wonder, and she growled from the back of her throat, more animal than human as she spoke.

" _Get the fuck away from my teammate."_

Yang screamed, and with more power than she ever knew she possessed, she threw the Grimm away with one hand, launching it another tree. The bird crashed into it hard, shaking its leaves loose from their branches, and Yang looked down at her hands in disbelief. Forty hours—that was how long pain had been building inside of her. Forty hours of collisions and beatings and crashes and spasms. For forty hours, the worst pain she had ever felt in her life had been building inside of her, the kinetic energy trapping itself in her muscles, her bones, her veins, building and building and building, trapped because of the collar with no way reprieve or release. For forty hours her entire body had been a battery set to overload, a dam waiting to burst open at the slightest amount of pressure, and now she could feel all of that pain and suffering return to her, coursing through her fingertips and her tongue, burning like liquid fire, giving her so much energy he didn't know what to do with it all. It felt _good_. Unbelievably, unbearably good, and she wanted more. More pain, more power—all of it. The Grimm lurched back to its feet, and she turned to her stunned teammate fearlessly, not even noticing the smile that etched its way across her face.

" _Take Neo and Sun back to the van. We've got this."_

Blake didn't have time to question it. The Grimm began its assault again, and Yang repeated her order forcefully, encouraging Blake to scamper away. She felt a hesitant moment of guilt leaving her teammate behind, but she didn't question it. Yang was different than before, and something told her that she would be okay. As Blake hurried away toward the turned-over van, Yang's smile widened.

" _So, this is the power you were talking about, huh?"_ she muttered wickedly to herself. _"Let's show that piece of shit what we're capable of."_

The monster charged, its fury unbridled, but Yang tightened her stance and stood her ground. She waited for the beast to come closer, grinning as it widened its beak and prepared to snatch her head. She waited for the moment when it was right on top of her, and then she launched out her arms and grabbed its mouth with her bare hands, holding back its maw as it crumpled in on itself. She forced back its bite with ease, and she reared back on fist with pride before she yelled and struck the beast with a tremendous uppercut to the jaw, knocking it off its feet. It landed on its back, wriggling in pain, but Yang held onto its beak and stepped on its throat to hold it in place.

It was fuzzy, strange underneath her bare toes. She could feel its blood pumping beneath her heel. It was cool to the touch. Fleshy. Slick. The last Grimm she touched felt the same. It was indestructible. She hit it a dozen times as hard as she could, and she could never break its skin. The monster underneath her would be the same. But Yang had a solution. One so simple she couldn't believe she didn't think of it before. She grabbed its bottom jaw once more, her fingers digging into its teeth as she felt it struggle in her palms as it tried to close its mouth, and she smirked. She just had to find its breaking point.

So, she pulled.

And pulled.

And pulled.

And then, with a twist and a snap and the glorious sensation of the joints ripping apart at their seems, she yanked its jaws apart, breaking them clean and leaving them dangling off their hinges. The beast screamed and scrambled to its feet, and Yang jumped off just in time to admire her handiwork as the beast stumbled around in a daze, barely able to stand as blood and dark fluids poured endlessly out of its open mouth. Yang gripped the sides of her head as a laugh escaped her. The feel of pulling its bones apart: it was like ripping the leg off a freshly cooked turkey. It was satisfying beyond belief. It made her feel alive. She wanted more. That monster put her through hell, and watching it suffer and bleed, she wanted it to last an eternity. The monster tried to flee into the forest, but she refused to let it escape.

" _You're not going anywhere!"_ she screamed, grabbing it by its wing and harshly pulling it back to the ground. The bird barely resisted as she dragged it to the nearest tree, slamming its wing against the bark over and over again until it started to bend backward. The Grimm let out a soft cry, its voices dwindling in number, but she took no pity on it. It was a deeply inhuman thing, a sickening assault against nature. It deserved to be put down. Slowly. Painfully. All of the agony it caused needed to be repaid. It was only fair. Yang pulled back her fist, letting all of her power focus into her knuckles, and then, with a righteous cry, she brought it down against the monster's skull.

Then she hit it again with her other fist. And then again. And again. Each punch sent shockwaves through her fists like she was punching through diamond, but the pain just made her stronger, made her hungrier. Her rage turned to glee, and her screams became laughter, as she hit it over and over, taking out every bad memory she ever had onto its skull, striking it till it cracked, and then till it burst, and then beyond that still, hitting it as long as the fire coursed through her, the dragon, the firecracker, the strongest Huntress in the world. She hit it until it stopped crying, and its voices faded away, and it stopped struggling underneath her, and then she hit it again. Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

The Grimm's skull had turned to mush by the time she stopped. She took one final look at the thing, broken and bloody, and then wiped off her knuckles on its corpse. Her expression became dull, and then, after one final kick to its body, she took off out of the forest, leaving the monster behind.

When she arrived at the van, the others were already waiting as she told them. Blake breathed a sigh of relief and ran toward her, but Yang shoved her aside. She had more important business to take care of. She shoved past Neo and Sun, who were too confused by her wild appearance and the blood dripping off her clothes to protest as she walked up to the sideways vehicle, bent down to her knees, gripped it by its edge, and then with a forceful huff, push the van back upright, nearly launching it away from the trees and back onto its wheels and the road with a loud bang. Sun opened his mouth to say something, but before a single word could come out, Yang grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him in close, sneering as her glowing eyes pierced through him.

" _Get in and drive, asshole."_

He did not hesitate to follow, and Neo was wise enough to do the same. Yang didn't bother to kill her; she did briefly save her life, and it would have been far too inconvenient. Instead, Yang grabbed Blake by the hand and led her to the back of the car, which Sun had managed to restart with some hard effort. It was running, barely, but it would get them where they needed to go. She helped Blake inside, and then took one final look at Forever Fall and all its incredible crimson beauty. It was a sight like no other, calm and serene to those who would look at it from the outside, and it struck Yang that it was likely she would never see it again. With that in mind, Yang spat in its direction, hopped inside the van, and closed the door behind her. The four of them took off, slowly but surely making their way down the winding road away from the endless sea of trees.

Within those trees, as the Grimm lay helpless, broken and battered and barely clinging to life, a woman calmly approached it from the shadows, her glass legs stepping elegantly over the blood-covered leaves that surrounded it.

"My darling, look at you," she said, her voice dripping with apathy. She gently knelt down and caressed the monster's cheek. It shuddered under her touch like a newborn. "It seems you weren't quite ready yet. Don't be sad. You've given Mommy so much valuable data. Next time, I'll make you perfect."

A shard of glass materialized in her hand, and with one swift motion, she drove it through the cracks in the Grimm's head. It gave one final gasp, and then its entire body dissolved, crumbling into dust. Mrs. Glass sighed beneath her mask, and then looked out at the rest of the forest, where she could hear the faint sounds of a car engine in the distance

"Note to self: Start work on a new project. Codename: Blondie."


	51. What They Deserve

**Note: So... this is a chapter. This arc is officially going to end after the next chapter, and then we'll move onto something else. Before that, we have this. Enjoy.**

* * *

Weiss was nowhere to be found when Ruby woke up. She had set her alarm for early in the morning on what was supposed to be their last day at the shelter, but she could tell something was wrong the second she didn't hear any complaining. It took the young Huntress a few moments to notice that her teammate was absence, but once she fully rose from her plush bed and gave herself a good stretch, she fully noticed that the bed beside her was completely empty. There was no trace of her partner to be found. No suitcase, no clothes, no note to speak of. Simply gone. Vanished. Ruby could only really sigh at the discovery. She wasn't particularly upset by it; she was merely disappointed. She had always suspected something like that would happen, but she had fooled herself into thinking that, despite how turbulent the weekend had been, they might have been able to make it out okay.

She supposed she was wrong about that, and that sucked.

Ruby did not have time to dwell on it, though. If Weiss wanted to leave, then fine. She could leave, but Ruby made a commitment, and she was going to see it through. That's what a Huntress would do. Probably. As she showered and dressed and went over her plans for the rest of the day, her mind naturally wandered back to her conversation with Coco, which immediately began to irritate her. It hadn't been the first time someone had questioned her worthiness to join Beacon. Heck, she had only stopped asking _herself_ that question about a month ago. But it might have been the first time that it hit her in a way that was more… poignant? Was that even the word to describe it? She couldn't quite tell. The dilemma that usually played out in her head went something like this: She would doubt her skills as a Huntress and feel like a failure, and then a little voice inside her would insist that she must have been worthy and that Ozpin chose her for a reason and she could not give up on herself. She would ignore that voice because of her massive insecurities—she was far too anxious to listen to reason—but at least it would present, always soothing and warm. Now, it was almost like that voice had betrayed her. Maybe she wasn't chosen for any good reason at all. Maybe Ozpin was just doing her family a favor, and it was all pointless, and she would never become a Huntress, and her life would be meaningless, and there went her anxieties again, running off on a track all their own, with no inner voice to calm them and no Weiss to distract them.

She took a deep breath. Everything would be fine. If she was feeling stressed, she could talk to Coco about it. The CFVY leader was kind if a bit blunt. She would understand her troubles—assuming she wasn't royally pissed at Weiss for abandoning her duties. Which, once Ruby considered it, was obviously the case. Everything would be fine. She would take her time, and everything would be fine.

When Ruby entered the shelter for work, however, the nervous thoughts abandoned her as she noticed a distinct buzz about the air. It struck her because of its unusualness; in her few days of work, she hadn't regarded the building as a particularly warm place. There was always a thick glumness about the inhabitants, for admittedly obvious reasons. But on that morning, the Faunus and more crucially, the staff, seemed jubilant, murmuring excitedly amongst themselves, and the colors on the wall seemed a bit brighter than the day before. She couldn't wipe the dumbstruck look off her face as she searched for Velvet, stepping past Faunus whispering in a language she could not understand. She didn't even know that Faunus could be that happy, as sad of a thought as that was. When she eventually found Velvet, the young Huntress herself was happily conversing with a supervisor and was so caught up in the moment that she did not notice Ruby approach her until she was tapped lightly on the shoulder.

"Oh, good morning, Ruby," she said cheerfully.

"Um… good morning," Ruby said awkwardly. "You look like you're in a good mood."

"Are you kidding? I'm wonderful," Velvet stated. "Did you not hear the news when you came in?"

"I literally just got here," Ruby explained casually. The supervisor kindly stepped aside to tend to their own duties as Velvet leaned in close, shaking with excitement.

"This morning, the shelter received an anonymous donation." Her arms moved wildly with her expressions. "Fifteen _thousand_ Lien."

"What?" Ruby gasped. Velvet nodded encouragingly.

"Can you believe that? This place lives and dies off the charity of others. We haven't been able to get enough food to feed everyone adequately in years, and this… it's just incredible, isn't it?"

Incredible? Possibly. But Ruby didn't burst into joy like Velvet expected her to, and she certainly did not lose her wits. An anonymous fifteen thousand Lien donation didn't just come out of nowhere, and when she thought about all the people in the world who would be capable of donating such an absurd sum of money, combined with all the people in Remnant who would know or even care about the existence of the shelter and their mission, combined with the spontaneous disappearance of her fabulously wealthy teammate—well, Ruby spent enough time acing math tests in junior high to know how to put two and two together.

Ruby groaned and pulled out her Scroll, just as Velvet noticed that they were down an additional set of hands. "Hey, is Weiss around? Her shift starts soon."

Ruby searched through her contacts, her silver eyes focused on the screen. "Yeah… I need to make a call."

* * *

Weiss was waiting in a coffee shop when Ruby found her. A light fog brushed over the city, and she was staring out the window at the hazy streets, her little belongings in a bag by her side. She lightly drank from a small mug of green tea. A bell jingled as the door to the shop opened, and when Ruby walked up to the table, Weiss greeted her with only a side-eye and a knowing sigh.

"Hi."

"Hi," Ruby responded in kind. "I didn't think you'd answer my call."

"Well," Weiss said lowly, "it's not like it would be right of me to disappear completely."

Ruby pulled up a chair at the opposite end of the small table, and took a seat, resting her hands in her lap. Weiss didn't show any signs of putting up a fight; she was like a kid about to be scolded by their parents, a notion that only made Ruby more uncomfortable than she already was.

"So," she started, "do you want to tell me why you're here and not at the shelter?"

Weiss took a long sip of her green tea, gazing out the window instead of trying to find the strength to meet Ruby's eyes directly. She chose her words carefully. "When I was growing up, my father didn't like me watching children's shows. He thought they were a waste of time, that they destroyed my mind. Instead, whenever I was with him, he made me study the world, whether it was through reading textbooks, or watching the news, or attending meetings with him—anything to sharpen my knowledge. I learned a lot because of that." Weiss turned her cheek, clicking her tongue before refocusing. "That was how I learned who your mother was."

Ruby leaned back in her chair. "Okay… and?"

"Ruby, when you are given all of the knowledge in the world during a time when most of your peers are still learning the alphabet, you convince yourself that you're always going to be the smartest person in the room. By the time I was ten, I knew everything I ever needed to know about the Faunus. Why bother learning anything else, right?"

"Yeah, I know," Ruby stated. "I mean, that's why you're here. So, you can learn and better yourself as a person."

"Right. So, I can learn…" Weiss trailed off. Ruby was already expecting the next words to come out of her mouth. "Except I think we both know that hasn't worked out."

Ruby wanted to disagree so badly. She wanted to at least say that it wasn't too late to turn things around, that they had a whole day in order to make things better, to grow and change. But the longer Ruby looked at Weiss, the more she saw just how drained the heiress was, how much the thought of even going back to that shelter destroyed her. At some point, she knew she was simply going to have to face the facts. She just didn't think she'd have to do it so soon.

"Still… you promised," Ruby said. It was an act of desperation, one that Weiss picked up on immediately.

"Ruby—"

"No, no, no. You _promised_ ," Ruby repeated, frustrated. "You promised that you would help out at the shelter for the weekend. Remember? You said that to me. And yeah, this trip hasn't been perfect, and I know we've been fighting a lot, but you promised you would stay, and you don't get to just back out of that because you think you know how this ends."

"Ruby, look—"

"No, stop it," Ruby said forcefully, leaning across the table. She tried her best to keep her voice down in the quiet café, but the anger in her words could be picked up by anyone nearby. "I thought Atlasians always kept their promises. For all you talk about honor and principles, I would expect that much. But apparently, that was all meaningless, because you're just going to abandon the shelter because things aren't going your way. And great, you made a donation, a really generous one, but I told you from the start it wasn't about money. It was—"

"Ruby, _shut up,_ " Weiss grunted. Ruby was instantly silenced. Weiss's tone was cruel; the same cruel tone she used many times before she verbally struck down those she hated with her silver tongue. But Weiss didn't go on a rant like she did when the pair first met, nor did she rise from her seat. Instead, once Ruby was calmed down, Weiss took another deep breath and soothed herself by finishing off her green tea, keeping herself steady. "Ruby, last night, I didn't sleep. At all. Instead, I did something that I don't know I had ever done in my life. I stayed on my Scroll, and I just did research, on my own, for hours. It was the most I had learned about what we were doing since I got here, and do you want to know what fun fact I learned at three in the morning?"

Ruby shook her head. "What?"

Weiss spoke with clarity. "Statistically speaking, the most impactful form a charity a person can contribute—to shelters, to pantries, to literally anything—is direct monetary donations. Sending money is more valuable to people in need than time and work and food combined."

"That's great," Ruby exclaimed. "I'm glad you helped them out. Believe me, I am, but that's not what this is about."

"I know it isn't, but it should be," Weiss said solemnly. "When I talked to Velvet last night, there was one thing she said that stuck out to me. She said that above all else, what Faunus need in this world are good people willing to help them. Above _all_ else. And Ruby, you and I have talked about me enough to know that I'm not a good person."

"Yeah, you are."

"No. I'm not," Weiss stated. She bowed her head. "At least… I'm not right now. Not what I would need to be. The Faunus don't need me handing them stale bread as I try to fake a smile. What they need is my money in the hands of a good person who knows what to do with it. That's the right thing to do."

The right thing to do. That was an interesting way of trying to spin it. Not an unconvincing one, just interesting. It was probably the most interesting way of trying to get out of doing volunteer work Ruby ever heard. In one sense, she thought that it didn't matter. Promises were promises, and she had half a mind to drag Weiss back to the shelter to finish her shift regardless of how much money she gave away. But there was another sense, one where she thought about all the misery that she felt over the past few days, and she had to ask herself the very important question: just what was it that she was trying to do? Make Weiss less bigoted? Why? Because she thought it would eventually lead to helping the Faunus? Because she felt guilty about Zelina Zaripova? For all of the effort she put into making sure that their weekend went off without a hitch, she never truly thought about what the ultimate outcome would be. And maybe, it was because Weiss was right. Maybe she was focusing on the wrong things all along.

Their weekend had been a disaster. That much was certain. But perhaps there was something to be learned after all, even if unintended.

Ruby stood up from the table. "Okay. Fine. I need to get back, but I'll work a double shift to cover for you. You can stay here until tonight, and then I'll pick you up so we can take the bus back to Beacon."

Weiss almost couldn't believe her ears. "Really?"

"Really," Ruby claimed. "You didn't have to be so generous to the shelter, and I… I don't think I can force you to change what you believe overnight. Just, how about this: we give it some more time, and then this time next year, as long as we haven't been expelled yet, we try this again. A full weekend at the Faunus shelter. How about that?"

Weiss considered it for a long moment and then stood up from the table as well, pausing before extending her hand. The rain continued for the rest of the day in the City fo Vale. It would eventually fade out by the morning.

* * *

Yang could barely remember what happened after she got in the van. Once their safety was secured, she passed out almost immediately, and when she came to, she only remembered bright lights and a thick gathering of people watching over her. It would be another few hours before she fully regained awareness, and it was only then did she figure what happened once she left Forever Fall.

As it turned out, Neopolitan wasn't so likely to betray someone if they saved her life from a giant demonic bird attack. The Droog Mistress had all the power in the world over the Huntresses, having secured control of their vehicle in their escape, but decided against exploiting them for money and instead left the pair of them practically on Beacon's doorstep. They left presents, as well: Ember Celica and Gamble Shroud, recovered from Droog HQ in the City of Vale, as well as the remnants of Bumblebee, riddled with bullet holes and nonfunctioning. When Neo dropped all of them off, she left with them a message as well scribbled on a sheet of loose-leaf paper: "I O'd U 5. That's 4." By the time the school authorities were alerted and had arrived on the scene, Neo and Sun were gone, the latter giving a thankful nod for their service before driving off into nowhere.

As for those authorities, Blake ended up having to do the explaining with Yang still unconscious, most crucially to Professor Goodwitch, who had joined the rest of the officers in questioning the young women over their condition. The excuse they came up with was "car crash," which was better than the true answer of "tried to fight gangsters and then almost murdered by giant demonic bird," but not great, even though they ironically did crash their car not once, but twice. In hindsight, Goodwitch probably should have been more thorough in her interrogation, and she probably should have questioned how they would have gotten back to Beacon if they were in a car crash, or why Bumblebee had bullet holes in it, or why Blake had a massive stab wound through her chest; but quite frankly, the girls seemed to be in such rough condition that she did not feel right leaving them without immediate medical care. Plus, and more importantly, it was already four-thirty, and she had to get ready for her weekly faculty poker match, of which she was the defending champion eight games running. She sent the girls off to the infirmary without much hassle, telling herself she would inform Ozpin about their status and question them later when the time was right. She never ended up doing either of those things, because she ended up winning that poker game and got extremely drunk, far too drunk for someone who had to teach a class the next morning, and all of the memories of the day went down with the whiskey.

It was only when Yang was being treated in the infirmary did she finally start to come to her senses, and it was there she learned from the doctors that they were unable to treat her injuries, simply for the surprising reason that they did not exist. None at all. Not only that, but as Yang fully came to, she realized that all of the pain that had accumulated over the past several days had simply vanished. She felt fine, and after a change of clothes and a long shower, she was good as new.

It was also then that she noticed the other absence: Yin. The other had retreated back into the crevasses of her mind, at least for the time being. Whatever cravings the doppelganger sought had been satisfied; whether the consequences of that would be any good was a matter that remained unsolved. But for the first time in what felt like forever, being alone actually felt like she was alone. No whispers—merely peace and total quiet. And in that quiet, she had plenty of time to think.

It was bizarre how normal everything felt. Literally earlier that day, she was fighting for her life, and at the present, she was lying on her bed, waiting for Ruby and Weiss to come back from the weekend vacation that, apparently, they had gone to while they were away. She was struggling to figure out how to tell them everything without her sister completely freaking out. And that wasn't even the worst thing clouding her mind; the nurses had told her point-blank that since she didn't have any significant injuries, she was expected to attend class in the morning, even though she couldn't for the life of her figure out what subject she was supposed to be studying anymore. Beacon worked its students through fire and flames, she guessed. And even more so on top of that, there was still the burden of determining just who the hell Mrs. Glass was, and what all that nonsense she had been through had to do with the Grimm's return. Yang was exhausted just thinking about it.

But she but that on the backburner. She had something else she needed to do. After jumping off her bed and rummaging through their closet, she headed out of the dorms and down the harrowing maze of old corridors that made up her path to the infirmary. The Academy's medical facilities were top of the line, as they needed to be with the inherent dangers of their craft. The infirmary itself was separated into three primary sections: a set of offices for the tireless nurses, a general are facility consisting primarily of dozens of stiff, white beds lined up in rows, and in the back, private rooms for patients in need of intensive care or constant attention. Those were the rooms Yang strode towards, and when she found the room designated "7b," she slowly opened the door and quietly poked her head inside.

The interior looked like anything she would find in a random hospital, if not a bit more cramped. There was the bed that was a little too short for anyone to be comfortable in it, and a wooden chair with a backboard as rigid as stone, and a television monitor that had no good channels on it. And, like all awful hospital rooms, resting on the bed was one very miserable patient, her hands and ribs heavily bandaged and her face bruised, but clearheaded enough to groan audibly when she noticed a face beaming at her warmly from the entranceway.

"Oh, great. Visitors."

Yang quietly dipped inside, shutting the door with her foot and holding her arms behind her to hide the small gift. "Hey, there. Thought you could use some company."

Blake rolled her eyes. "Really? You couldn't leave me alone for, like, three hours?"

Yang shook her head. "Nnnnnnnope."

"You suck." A smile briefly flashed across Blake's face, and Yang took that as an invitation to pull up the chair beside her bed.

"I'll be honest, I didn't think you'd be here," Yang said half-jokingly. "I thought you would have sneaked off someplace by now."

"I wish I could," Blake said, pushing herself upright on her elbows, "but right now, I kind of hate the idea of walking… or breathing… or living…"

Yang chuckled, and then extended the gift she brought from her dorm. "Well, since you're here, I brought you something."

"You didn't."

"Yep," Yang said, shaking the smooth, black bow in between her fingers. "Your ears."

Blake moaned loudly. "Ugh, remind me never to get delirious in front of you again."

"Will do. Want some help?"

Blake reluctantly nodded but smiled anyway as Yang carefully fitted the bow into her hair. After giving it a few small adjustments, Yang took a step back to examine it. Blake had looked so incomplete without the accessory atop her head. It was nice to put the piece back into its proper place.

"Thanks," Blake said sincerely.

"You are very welcome, Miss Belladonna," Yang said, bowing her head. After a moment of generosity, she shifted gears to more important matters. "So… what's the prognosis?"

"You mean my diagnosis?" she asked, hissing as she straightened herself in her bed.

"Whatever."

"Fucked up hands, massive cut through my chest and a shit ton of cuts and bruises," Blake said simply, gently squeezing her hands. "Or that's the layman's version anyway. Oh, and a mild concussion."

Yang's jaw dropped. "A _mild_ concussion?"

"That's what the doctors said," Blake shrugged.

"You literally couldn't remember your name," Yang said with disbelief. "How the hell is that mild?"

"It wasn't mild then," Blake stated casually. She threw her head back into the pillow, letting its long-forgotten softness take hold of her. "But that's where it's at now. Aura's a hell of a drug, isn't it?"

It was—a very unfair one at that. Yang and her Aura always had a very powerful relationship, more powerful than most Huntresses. Her ability to store and generate it meant she could charge through battles like a tank, but it also meant that she could heal quickly, perhaps more quickly than she deserved. Looking at Blake lying injured in that hospital bed certainly made her think so. She had to stay under the tight care of the school for who knew how long, while Yang got to walk away almost unscathed. For all the pain they went through together, it didn't seem right that only one of them was left suffering. Her posture sagged and all of the emotion seeped out of her, and Blake took notice that something wasn't right with her teammate.

"Hey, you all right?"

Yang sighed. She leaned forward onto the bed, resting her hands on the edge of the hard mattress. She dug her fingers into the sheets, scrunching them up into her knuckles.

"You know how crazy this is, right?" Yang said suddenly. "Like… a few hours ago, we almost died. For real. We were almost killed, and now we're here, and we're laughing and treating this like everything's normal and… that's super fucking _weird_ , right? We fought through Droogs and Grimm, and we pushed through that forest on our hands and knees, and we _made it_ , and now it's like… we have to be normal again. It's _crazy_."

Blake pursed her lips, and carefully laid her hand over Yang's. "Yeah. It is crazy. But that doesn't mean we have to let it get to us."

"How?" Yang questioned. "How can this not get to us? I know you're used to this, but—"

"I am _not_ used to this," Blake corrected her strongly. Yang stuttered but continued unabatedly.

"Fine. You're not used to this, either. But you can handle this. You've always known how to handle this. Whatever kind of… I don't know, fucked up PTSD we're going to get from this weekend, you'll be able to handle it. But I don't know how I'm supposed to go to class tomorrow, or _ever_ , or somehow pretend like things are okay after it's my fault I almost got you killed."

Blake was left stunned. " _Your_ fault?"

Yang stammered, closing her eyes and pressing her head against the mattress. She shifted her hands so that she could take Blake's hand within her own, and she held it tightly like it would disappear if she ever let go.

"Yes. _My_ fault," she finally admitted out loud. "I wasn't good enough to keep you safe. You put your trust in me, and I let you down. You're my teammate, my friend, and I completely failed you. That was my fault, and I don't know if I can tell you how sorry I am, or how you're going to forgive me."

Blake said nothing, merely watching Yang almost fall apart again by her bedside. It had only taken a couple of seconds to bring one of the strongest Huntresses in Beacon to her knees. She felt the pain in her chest worsen, and she could only bear her teammate crumble for a few seconds before she grabbed Yang by the hair, and forcibly pulled her face into view. Yang wasn't crying, at least not yet, but she was pained, and Blake kept their gaze locked as she spoke as sternly as possible.

"Hey, asshole. Whose idea was it to go on this mission?"

Yang didn't answer the question, so Blake asked again, and again, until Yang, confused and hurt, finally answered. "You?"

"Yeah. Me," Blake explained. "And who was it that brought you along in the first place and told you exactly what to do?"

"You," Yang said softly.

"Me," Blake stated again. "So, I need you to tell me: How the fuck is any of this _your_ fault?"

"Because I—"

"Don't answer that, because you can't," Blake said, releasing her grip on Yang's hair, but not her gaze. "You didn't cause any of this. You know what you did? You tried negotiating with a criminal overlord for my freedom. You dragged my limp carcass to safety when a supernatural monster tried to eat me alive. You kept me warm so I didn't freeze to death in the middle of a stupid forest. You held those same criminals at gunpoint when I couldn't do it myself, and then, when I almost got myself eaten by that supernatural monster _again_ , you showed up out of nowhere and didn't just save me, but you kicked that monster's ass, all while barely being able to move on your own because of an Aura Collar wrapped around your neck. How can you honestly look at that and then turn around and ask me to forgive you, you idiot? Yang, you _saved my life_. I almost got us killed this weekend so we could go on some worthless revenge mission against a guy whose name I don't even remember, and I'm alive entirely because of _you_.

Blake groaned as another surge of pain took her. She broke away from Yang just as the latter was snapped out of her dazed stupor, and rested back against her pillow, staring up at the all-white ceiling. She softened her voice, trying to find comfort amongst her scars.

"Just… do you have any idea how pissed off that makes me, knowing that I'm going to have to find some way to repay you for all of that? I already hate that I feel worthless because of this and that I almost got my only friend in this damn school killed, but now I have to deal with you trying to take the blame yourself? You should feel like a hero, not like… whatever the fuck this is. Dammit…"

Blake crossed her arms, setting a gentle pressure down on her wounded ribs. Yang, meanwhile, had to process all of that. She wasn't even sure she could process all of that. She never remembered Blake being so vulnerable, not even when she was dying in the cave in Forever Fall. She had spent so long telling herself that everything that went wrong was because of her, listening to Yin poison her mind that hearing anything other than contempt felt wrong. She tried to filter out the information, break it down to swallow it easier, but she couldn't, until after her mind was finally able to focus on one small detail that she had lost within the heartache.

"Did you just call me your friend?"

"Hmm?"

"You just called me your friend," Yang said carefully, the words barely leaving her tongue in one piece. "I thought you didn't have friends."

Blake didn't. At least, she shouldn't have. The word kind of just slipped out when she wasn't thinking about it. Friendship was simply one of those things that she couldn't afford at Beacon. It was too messy and complicated. But, she had to admit: the term felt right for Yang Xiao Long, as unbelievable as that sounded.

"Change of policy."

"A change of policy?"

"That's what I said," Blake answered. Yang hesitated.

"So, that means that we're friends now?"

Blake thought about it for a moment. "Yeah. Of course," she said, nodding slowly. "So, what do you want?"

"I…" Yang didn't understand the question.

"I wasn't kidding when I said I needed to repay you. I won't be able to sleep if I don't make it even between us. So, what do you want from me?"

Yang shook her head dismissively. "You can't be serious."

"Try me," Blake said, turning onto her side. "You said before you wanted to know about my past, right? Ask me something."

"Blake, I'm not going to—"

"No, do it," Blake insisted. Her voice was raw and honest. "I know I've been putting you off for a long time. After what you did for me, that's not fair. I can't answer everything, and that's probably frustrating, but you deserve to know something. That's only right. Please, ask me something."

It was like a dream. Blake Belladonna, the girl with a shell harder to crack than diamond, opening up to her. Granted, the circumstances were less than ideal, but the floodgates had opened. There were so many things she wanted to know. Why Blake attended Beacon, her family, her training, her friends, why she snuck out every night, Ilia; she didn't know where she should begin. The offer was tantalizing in a way few things were. Yet, before she could ask anything, a voice spoke to her from the back of her mind. It wasn't cruel or overbearing, not like Yin in the slightest. Rather, it was a voice that was unmistakably her own, untainted.

" _How could you do such a thing?"_

"You really want to pay me back?" Yang asked begrudgingly.

"Yes," Blake nodded feverously. Yang leaned back in her chair.

"Fine. When you get better, you have to carry my books for two weeks."

Blake gawked at the request. "Are you kidding me?"

"That's what I want," Yang said with certainty.

"You know you've literally asking me to tell you these things for months."

"No, I know," Yang tried to assure herself. "But the entire point was that you would tell me when you felt comfortable doing so. If you just told me because you felt like you owed me stuff, that wouldn't really mean anything."

Blake's eyes narrowed. Her mouth twitched as she tried to come to terms with what she was told. "You… really don't want anything?"

Of course, she did. Yang wanted everything. The fact that it was so close only made her mad. But it didn't really matter that she wanted it. Blake was hurt, and she couldn't live with herself if she exploited her the first chance she had. She knew that one day, Blake would tell her everything she wanted to know, on terms they were both happy with. But until then, she had waited patiently enough for answers that she didn't mind waiting a little while longer.

"Nope. Just carry my books," Yang said with ease. Blake, for whatever it was worth, seemed deeply unsatisfied with that response. The passion faded out of her, and she became very quiet as she figured out what she had to do next. She was so lost in thought that Yang eventually came to the conclusion that, maybe, it was time to let her teammate get some rest. She had to be enormously tired since returning from Forever Fall. She would visit again during the week, but for the time being, she might as well have followed Blake's advice and tried to put the events of the week behind her. She rose from her chair, but Blake snapped to attention before she could leave.

"Hey, real quick," she asked, leaning her head forward, "can you adjust my bow? It's been crooked for the past few minutes and it's bugging the hell out of me."

The bow didn't look very crooked to Yang, then again, she didn't consider herself much of an expert on those things. She casually reached for Blake's head, and as she did so, she remembered that the bow was another subject matter she could have inquired about. More truths denied, she supposed. That being said, she was probably overthinking its importance. It was just a bow—

Blake grabbed her wrist suddenly, and Yang found herself in a tailspin. She had no idea how Blake could move that fast, wrapping her legs around Yang's waist and shifting all her body weight to forcefully throw Yang onto the bed. Her head crashed into the pillow, and in just a few seconds, their positions had shifted, with Yang lying down her back, gazing up at the lights on the ceiling, and Blake pinning her wrists above her head as she straddled her waist. Yang looked at Blake for an answer, but she noticed that her teammate's mood had completely shifted. All of the doubt was gone, and replaced with a keen, overwhelming focus, all of which was targeted directly. At. Her.

"What are you—"

And then, Blake silenced her with a kiss.

Yang's mind shut down, reducing her thoughts to only their most basic form. Blake—kissing her. Right there. Then. Now. It was warm, and soft, and tender, and _good_. Every muscle within her froze as the warmth from the kiss traveled from her lips to her chest, then her stomach, her fingers, her legs, _everywhere_. It lasted all of three seconds, an eternal, mind-dumbing, wonderful three seconds. When Blake finally pulled away, Yang's face was flushed, and she could only stare at her in wonder like she was a goddess sent from above. Even apart, Blake remained close, her lips still brushing against Yang's, and Yang felt her hot breath against her skin. Blake's eyes stared right through her, and through them, Yang could see nothing but impulse, and hunger, and a pure, unrestrained _want_ that kept her lost within them, craving to be a part of her.

"Yang, let me tell you something," Blake whispered, dragging out every syllable. "As someone who's spent an awful lot of her time keeping secrets… you are really, _really_ terrible at lying."

"I… I… I don't… don't…" Yang couldn't put her words together. She couldn't think at all anymore. It's not like it mattered. Blake was in control, and she quieted Yang with just a whisper.

"Yeah, so here's the deal," Blake said, biting her bottom lip. "I'm kind of in a lot of pain right now, and I _desperately_ need to relieve some stress. And, to be honest, you did a really, _really_ kind thing by saving my life, and I think you should get a lot more than me carrying some books. A whole... lot... more..."

Yang's heart was beating out of control. Electricity pulsed up her spine, and every word she tried to speak came out as nonsense. She had to be dreaming. That was the only possibility. She was asleep, and nothing was real anymore. But Blake only smiled wickedly at her doubts and shut them down with another kiss. She withdrew herself again, taking Yang's breath with her, and smiled at the whimpering girl beneath her.

"God, you're _fucking_ adorable."

That emphasis. Holy shit, that emphasis. They shouldn't have. She knew that. There were way too many risks. The nurses would hear them. Ruby and Weiss could find out. Hell, she didn't know what would happen with her team. They didn't need to open all of that emotional baggage. It would change everything between them, and yes, she wanted it, she wanted it desperately, but it was wrong. Very wrong. In her head, it was fine, but now? She couldn't afford it. She had to be responsible. She had to turn her down. She just needed to get the words out. Say no. She could do it. Just say no.

But then that voice in the back of her mind spoke to her again, stronger than before.

" _Stop being stubborn. You deserve it."_

And just like that, all of Yang's worries disappeared, and she was back in the moment, just her and Blake. She was calm. So calm, in fact, she didn't even notice that the voice didn't exactly sound like hers. If she did, she didn't care. All that mattered to her was that wonderful person hovering over, and those incredible, amber eyes that she could get lost in for hours.

"Well then," Yang said, her hesitation fading, "I guess one favor wouldn't hurt."


	52. Pillow Talk

**Note: Hey everyone. Well, over six months and 80,000 plus words later, we've reached the end of the fourth arc. It's been a long time coming, maybe longer than it should have been, but we're really satisfied with the final result, and we're so thankful to all the readers who have been with us since the beginning, as well as those who joined us along the way. We're going to be listing out a lot of notes and things at the end of the chapter, so stay tuned for that. But before that, enjoy this very, um... _flirty_ chapter.**

* * *

"Wow… that was, um…"

"Yeah…"

So. That happened.

Yang was still sort of figuring out how to process everything as she caught her breath. She couldn't. It was hard to think of much of anything at the moment. She too busy staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, as the woman next to her gradually draped an arm over her, and Yang suddenly remembered all over again that she had just done _that_.

Blake nuzzled her head into Yang's shoulder. "So, did you like your reward?"

One could say that. One could definitely say that, in fact. One might say a lot of things. Yang didn't say anything. Not really, other than gasps of "wow," and "holy shit," and a series of unintelligible moans and gasps.

That was probably the best fifteen minutes of her life. Fifteen? Sixteen? Twenty? Five? There wasn't a clock in the room, and even if there was, she certainly wasn't in the mindset to read it. Whatever the fuck it was, it was pretty goddamn spectacular. She hadn't really imagined that it would be that good. Like, she had heard stories and everything, and the way she heard people talk about sex was like it was a religious experience, so she had prepared herself for it to not live up to expectations. But nope. It was pretty awesome. Who would have guessed?

She was cold. The hospital bed was barely large enough to fit one person, let alone the pair of them, and the blanket was rather pathetically small, which sucked considering that she had _a lot_ she needed to cover up. The only way for her to really keep warm was to snuggle up to the other, equally exposed person in the bed, an act which Blake took to with great interest. As it turned out, the cold, heartless assassin who despised everyone and everything around her really liked to cuddle. Talk about a plot twist.

Blake ran a series of kisses down Yang's collarbone, lightly pecking each and every inch of her skin before moving onto the next. "You're. Not. Answering. Me."

"Oh, no, it's fine," Yang said breathlessly. "I'm just kind of… taking it in all in, you know?"

Blake snickered. "Wow, I did a number on you, didn't I?"

"A little bit," Yang nodded weakly. She pulled the blanket up past her chest, but that didn't stop Blake from attacking any bit of exposed flesh she could find with her lips.

"So, tell me," Blake moaned. "Where do I stand on the list of Yang Xiao Long's conquests?"

Yang laughed at the thought. "Well, considering the list is empty, you'd probably be at the very top."

That comment seemed to freeze Blake in place, and she stopped her delightful assault to stare up at Yang in astonishment.

"No…" She spoke with disbelief. "Don't tell me I was your first?"

Yang responded with no more than a shrug. Normally, she might have been embarrassed by it, but it was hard to feel anything other than satisfied right then and there, so she mostly just rolled with the punches.

"You seem shocked."

"Yeah," Blake said, rolling onto her stomach and resting half her face against the pillow. "Don't take this the wrong way, I would expect you of all people to have some stories."

"Well, I don't," Yang chuckled. "I know: party girl, right? But the truth is that I decided I wasn't going to sleep around with anyone unless I was getting serious with them, and I never had time to get serious with anyone because I just kept fucking around with everyone. I guess I wasn't really ever to commit, you know what I mean?"

"Sure. It's fine," Blake said with a twang of guilt. "It's just… I wish you told me before I started. I probably wouldn't have done that if I knew I was your first. That should be someone better than me."

Yang smirked, shaking her head. "Nah, you were _pretty_ rock solid. I just hope I lived up to your expectations."

"Are you kidding?" Blake asked. "Given the context, you were outstanding."

"Hey, what do you mean by that?" Yang said, taking mock offense.

"Oh, don't give me that shit," Blake rolled her eyes as visibly as possible.

"Okay, fuck it, I'm changing topics. I've got a question for you," Yang stated, straightening herself up in the bed. "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"That I was into you," Yang clarified. There was really no point in hiding it any longer, and since everything was going to come out, she might as well have gotten some good answers out of it. "Because I'll be honest, I thought I was doing a good job of hiding it."

Blake snickered. "You call _that_ a good job?"

"Yes, it was a good job," Yang said proudly, crossing her arms over her bare chest.

"You literally kept taking peeks at my ass every time I walked in front of you," Blake explained obviously.

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Checking out my ass doesn't mean anything?"

"What? There can't be any good butt admiration from one plutonic friend to another?"

"You were staring holes through the damn thing!"

"That's because you kept bobbing your hips whenever you walked in front of me so I would look!"

"I mean, I won't deny it," Blake shrugged, "but that hardly has anything to do with what I'm talking about."

"It literally _completely_ changes the topic of what we were talking about."

"No, look, to be totally honest, it was a few things that I noticed," Blake said more confidently. "Whenever I saw you flirting with the other boys in the class, like at our inauguration, it just seemed kind of disingenuous to me. Like I was watching a caricature instead of a person. That, and the way you always seemed to want to follow me around and acted super nice to me—I could take the hint."

"When did you figure it out?" Yang asked curiously.

"About the week after we beat CRDL," Blake stated. Yang was taken aback.

"Really? That quickly?"

"Like I said, you suck at lying," Blake said casually. Yang cursed under her breath. She thought she would be able to get away with it for longer than that; ideally, she would have kept those feelings to herself forever. But there was no sense in trying to change what had already happened, and in the end, everything turned out fine, if she could count whatever she and Blake were as fine.

"Do you think anyone else has figured out?" Yang asked, slightly worried.

"Figured out that you're gay, or that you like me?"

"The gay part."

"Have you told anyone?"

"Nope."

Blake scrunched her nose. "No one? Not even Ruby?"

Yang gave a half-nod. "Not even Ruby. Not my dad. No one."

"Any reason why you didn't?" Blake asked curiously. "I mean, this Kingdom is no Vacuo when it comes to this stuff, but most Valians seem pretty comfortable with gay people. Are your family really religious?"

"Come on, you know we're not," Yang scoffed, though she hurriedly corrected herself. "Well, my dad and I aren't. Ruby doesn't really talk about that stuff, so who knows? But, I mean, it's _Ruby_. She'd be fine with it no matter what. It's just that I never really found the right time to talk to them about it. I didn't think they'd care enough, so I really just never bothered."

"That kind of sucks," Blake muttered, but Yang fervently disagreed.

"Nah, it's all right. It's not like I ever really had to struggle with anything," Yang admitted. "Like, some people go through these massive journeys to come to terms with their sexuality, and it ends up making up such a massive part of who they are. Do you want to know how I found out I liked girls? One day when I was twelve, I was looking through TV channels and I came across this movie where this woman flashed her tits for two seconds. Then I thought, 'Yeah. I like those,' and that was that. Like, did you have any problems telling people you were gay?"

Blake's eyes widened like she was a deer caught in headlights. She pushed her face slightly deeper into the pillow. "Oh, umm… I'm not."

"Not what?"

"Gay," Blake said uncomfortably. "I'm… I'm not gay."

Yang paused momentarily, and then burst out laughing, cracking up at her friend's wonderful dry humor until she looked at her more closely, and saw the deep awkwardness spread across her entire face, and the laughter died down as she realized that, no, Blake was, in fact, being very serious.

"You're not gay?"

"Nope."

"Not at all?"

"Nope."

"Not even a little?"

"Straight as an arrow."

Yang opened her mouth to say something, then closed it, and then opened it again, raising a single index finger into the air.

"So… I'm not an expert on this stuff," Yang said carefully, "but… I'm _pretty sure_ you were gay about five minutes ago."

Blake blinked a few times. She blushed. "That wasn't anything."

"It wasn't anything?" Yang gasped. "That was a lot of _things_ , Blake. Very complex, very intentional, very _gay_ things, Blake."

"Look, don't get me wrong," Blake quickly protected herself. "It was great— _you_ were great. But it doesn't mean I'm a lesbian or bi or anything. It was just a quick thing, and that was it."

"You know I'm not going to judge you for it," Yang said kindly. "Like, it doesn't matter what you identify as. But if I'm really just an experiment to you—"

"You're not an experiment," Blake said sternly. "I promise, you couldn't be an experiment if you tried."

"Okay, cool," Yang stated, the disappointment growing within her. "I guess I'm kind of just trying to figure out where we stand after this. You know how hard you are to read. I thought we were kind of one thing, but since you're really insistent on telling me otherwise, I don't really know what to think."

Blake rolled onto her back, resting her hands back behind her head. Her expression was impossible to make out. "What exactly did you think this was going to be?"

"I don't know," Yang admitted. "I thought that since you were sleeping with me, that meant maybe we would actually start being… together?"

"You mean we'd start dating."

"That's what most people do!" Yang placed a hand on Blake's shoulder and nudged toward her in the bed. "Blake, I like you. A lot. _Way_ too much. That's pretty obvious by this point. And I don't know why I bothered to think this, but I assumed since you were acting like that and calling me adorable and trying to fuck me, maybe you felt something there, too. Like, I don't know if we're a couple, or were friends with benefits, or if you really just saw this as you paying me back for stopping that Grimm and then everything would go back to normal and we'd never talk about it. The fact that you're telling me you're not gay and this meant nothing makes me think it's the last one, and I'm going to be honest, if that's the case, I'm kind of hurt by that. You can't just take advantage of my feelings like that."

"Yang, I _promise_ , I'm not trying to take advantage of your feelings," Blake said with stressed importance. "This has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with me. I just wanted to make you happy."

"Well, telling me you didn't really find me attractive or appealing up front would have made me happy. We would have at least been honest."

"Hold on, I _never_ said that I didn't find you attractive. That's a completely different subject matter."

"Then, whatever! You know what I'm talking about!" Yang said bitterly. "My point is that I feel misled, and I thought that we were going to be something more, and… it kind of sucks that I open up my heart to you and you just play around with it."

Blake threw her hands in the air. "Yang, I promise you that you do not want something more with me."

"That's three now," Yang stated accusingly. "That's the third promise you just made in the past minute. I don't care about all your vague promises. I know what I want, and I want _you_. And you can think that's stupid, or you can decide you don't care, but you can't start telling me what I do and don't want without telling me why? Why wouldn't I want more of any of this?"

Blake sat up quickly in the bed and shouted in Yang's face. "Because the last time I slept with my best friend, I ended up putting a fucking _scalpel_ through her neck!"

Yang—in complete honesty—wasn't expecting that answer. She had a few answers prepared in her mind of what Blake would say. Some usually bullshit about her tragic past. Some witty remark about how they couldn't even get five minutes into their pillow talk without screaming at each other. But that answer? She wasn't expecting that in the slightest. She was dumbfounded, unable to counter as Blake slammed herself back against in the pillow in frustration, resting her hands on her forehead as she tried to capture her breath. Somehow, a thought snaked its way out of Yang's head.

"When you say friend," she wondered aloud, "is this the mythical Ilia I've heard so much about?"

Blake sighed. The subject matter wasn't a pleasant one, but it wasn't like she had a choice in the matter. Not really. "Ilia Amitola was, for as long as I can remember, the only friend I ever had. I knew her since we were children, and we grew up doing everything together. _Everything_. I couldn't stand her half the time, but I cared about her like she was family. As it turned out, she happened to care about me like I was more. I found out before she told me, but I didn't end up telling her because I didn't care. She was my closest friend, and it didn't matter what she thought of me because nothing would ever come between us. And then… things did. We met some people, and we started getting involved with things, and we began to see differently on a few important things. We drifted. It happens. I began to branch out, but she was always a bit of a shut-in, and I don't think she ended up liking what we were becoming. But even through all of that, no matter how far we drifted, no matter who else we found, we still cared about each other, and nothing could screw with that.

"And then… her sixteenth birthday happened," Blake said, grinding her teeth. "And by that point, we were hardly on speaking terms. We were still sort of close to each other, but she had stopped caring about everything, and the people she was with stopped caring about her, and it got hard for her. You could see her breaking down a little bit more each day, and I guess on that day, the straw broke her back. She was giving up, and you know what? I felt sorry for her. She was all alone, and I actually _pitied_ that stupid, fucking bitch. I thought that for whatever had come between us, she deserved better. So, I slept with her. Bought a random hotel room nearby with whatever money I had saved, and I gave her the one thing she always wanted. And then do you want to know what she did next?

Yang gave no response, and Blake simply scoffed.

"She told me that she _loved_ me. You want to talk about treating someone unfairly. Can you imagine just… _thrusting_ that on someone, the kind of burden that creates? Love is like a poison. I would rather get stabbed through the chest a hundred ties than have to deal with that. So, I did what anyone would do. I flushed the poison out. After that day, I pretty much stopped talking to her. I would just… completely pretend that she didn't exist. Severed all ties, ignored her calls… and soon, it was done. We were nothing. That went on for about a year, until the week right before I was going to head to Beacon. She had stopped caring about most of the things in her life before then, but I guess hearing that I was going to be leaving struck a nerve with her. She was furious about it; she thought I would be destroying my life by coming here, that I was going to be used or whatever. I snapped at her and then got into a huge argument, and then things got really heated, and I was upset, and then I just…"

Blake reached out toward nothing, and tightly clenched her bandaged fist. She sniffled and forced the tears not to fall. She could not remember the last time she cried about anything. She always thought she was above that. But something about that moment triggered the pain she was so masterful at surprising, and she had to fake a laugh to fight back against her own emotions.

"She called me a monster," she said blankly. " _Ilia_ called me that. And it's not even like I can spin it in my own head to make her wrong. I can't justify it. She had nothing, literally nothing in the whole world except for me, and I just threw her away like she was trash. And the worst part? Even though I know I can't justify it… I still don't feel guilty. I know I should, and I don't. That's what happens when people get close to me, I guess.

Blake brushed a loose tear away from her cheek, and then rolled away from Yang, curling herself into a ball under the covers.

"See?" she muttered under her breath. "Told you that you'd hate me when you found out."

When Blake finally finished her story, even the background noises of the infirmary seemed to fall silent. It was noticeable incomplete, so much so in fact that Yang considered asking for the rest of it before she said anything. Yet, she felt like she couldn't. She had seen Blake hurt before, far worse than that not even the night before. But somehow, this felt worse. Before, she was dazed and tired and confused to the point where she couldn't remember her own name. But now, she was awake and aware. She was normal again. Normal Blake was supposed to be able to handle anything, and she couldn't. And that hurt.

Blake was surprised then when Yang slowly moved behind her and gave her a gentle hug from behind. She kissed the line of her jaw, and simply let her lips rest there for a long moment, breathing her in.

"You have baggage. So what?" Yang whispered sweetly. "I hear voices in my head. You're not that special."

* * *

They talked for a long time after that. The bed was comfortable, but they knew they eventually had to leave. Yang got dressed at the turn of the hour, and with a final kiss farewell, she left the infirmary and returned back to her dorm.

When she arrived, she was surprised to find Ruby and Weiss waiting there for her, and upon noticing her entry, Weiss immediately let out a very audible groan.

"Yang, you would not _believe_ how stressful our weekend was."

* * *

 **End of Arc Notes: So. Bumbleby. When we first came up with the idea for this chapter, we knew that was where we were heading. We've never been a fan of building a long time to characters getting in relationships. Honestly, the fun and interesting part to us is what happens after they're together. Of course, we also didn't think it would ever become canon, which it sort of has by the time of this writing. We guess that's what happens when you take forever to get your chapters uploaded.**

 **We said from the start this was the arc we were looking forward to the most, but we were surprised to find out that most people's favorite part of the arc was the Ruby/Weiss section. We know a lot of people don't like writing about social issues or economics, but we tried our best to make all parties seem as reasonable as possible given their beliefs. Also, we just like Team CFVY. They needed way more development in the show on their own and in their relationship to Team RWBY, so that's why they tagged along. You might see more of them in the future, especially with Weiss by their side since it's so much fun writing them bouncing off each other.**

 **ANYWAY, yeah that's the end of the arc? We always ask people for their feedback at the end of each arc to know if they've liked the story so far. So, now would be a wonderful time to say something if you haven't already. Also, some important future plans. We are going to write the fifth of the seven arcs soon, but that is also going to be kind of heavy like this one (hell, like the entire story), and we want to lighten things up a little before then. So, we're going to be writing about three chapters between then of just more happy-ish things. And the fun part: we would like you-THE READER-to help out with that! If you have any suggestions of something you want to see, be it character interactions, discussions, world-building, anything really, tell us in a comment, and if we think it's cool, we'll credit you and anything. It's interactive media! Definitely not laziness! How exciting! Anyway, that's all for that. See you real soon.**


	53. Debate Me, Bro

**Note: Hello, again! First of all, thank you to everyone who gave us suggestions for what scenarios they would like to see over the next few chapters. We would like to note that after writing such a depressing arc, we want to focus on some more fun, even absurdist ideas (like Team ATMC). We actually had a different chapter almost completed that we weren't happy with and scrapped, which is why this update took so long. A bunch of people suggested some great dramatic moments, which we do plan on getting to, just not right now. So, the following chapter is instead based on something that was recommended to us often, and that is more pairing interactions within Team RWBY. Special thanks to Okami999, SpringDragonfly, Fel95, and RedShirt1453 for the inspiration, and additional thanks to Edmund Gettier for confusing the hell out of us during our research for this chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

Blake was bored.

She had been bored for quite a while.

Truthfully, she didn't think it was possible for her to ever feel bored again after what had happened. The weekend had brought all of the excitement she thought she would ever need again.

But, nope. Bored.

Blake was released from her captivity on Thursday morning. She signed a small form for the nurses, thanked them for her efforts, and proceeded to walk straight to the nearest bathroom so she could take the world's longest shower. It had been nearly a week since she had cleaned herself properly, and she was pretty desperate to drown herself in as much soap and shampoo as she could get her hands on. And she did just that, and it was glorious, and after she was done, she put on a fluffy robe and went back to her dorm and tucked herself into her bed. The doctors technically never told her that she could take the rest of the week off from classes, but who were they to tell her what she could do? She deserved the time off, and she planned to make the most of it. A whole extended weekend of relaxing after being nearly murdered. It sounded like a great deal to her.

Except it wasn't great. Because she was bored. And she got bored after, like… two hours.

There were a few things she could do to pass the time. Such as, for example, reflect on her own mortality. Her injuries made that very possible. She had accumulated many scars over her life, but the ones she incurred facing Neo were still quite noticeable, and they burned to the touch. That wasn't particularly comfortable considering two of them were on her palms. There was also the concussion, and that—to put it mildly—also sucked.

She could eat something. Except she wasn't hungry. Weird, considering how she basically hadn't eaten any real food in a week. She blamed the concussion for that one.

She could sleep. Wasn't tired.

She could try to navigate the incredibly complicated feelings she had towards Yang, and try to unravel the web of confusion that was their relationship before it inevitably blew up in her face.

Nah.

Blake peered out from her covers, and there, across the room, she saw her source of amusement. Two of her teammates were out for lunch. Where to? She had no idea, but she wasn't interested in that at the moment. What caught her eye was Ruby Rose, sitting crossed-legged on her bed, sweetly and innocently, a turkey sandwich in one hand and her Scroll in the other, on which was an absolutely _hysterical_ video about turtles. The unaware thing had decided to take lunch in the dorm before their afternoon classes. She must have thought Blake was asleep when she entered. How pitiful.

"Hey, Ruby," said Blake. Ruby noticed her mid-bite.

"Hey, Blake," she responded, swallowing quickly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better. How are you?"

"Oh, um… I'm all right," Ruby said, unsure of how to respond. Blake eyed her carefully. She seemed perplexed. How much of their mission did Yang tell her about while she was out? Was that the cause of her suspicion, or was she just unaware of how to respond in the moment? Blake didn't really care. She had a different itch that needed scratching.

"What are you watching?" Blake asked inquisitively.

"A video about turtles."

"What about turtles?"

"Eating habits, travel habits. Turtle things."

"Turtle things?"

"Yeah. Turtle things."

"Okay." Blake went silent for a long moment, and then when Ruby's guard was lowered, suddenly asked aloud, "So, what do you think about essentialism?"

Ruby was halfway through biting into her sandwich when she paused. "What?"

"Essentialism. What do you think about it?" Blake sat up in her bed, staring holes through Ruby's head.

"I don't… know what you're talking about," Ruby said nervously.

"Essentialism—the philosophical belief that objects in the universe have a set of necessary characteristics that make them what they are. What do you think about it?"

Ruby stammered. "I mean, that sounds fine, I guess."

Blake leaned forward, her eyes wide. "Really? Because I think it's _terrible_."

A chill ran down Ruby's spine. "Oh, well, in that case—"

"I mean, I've always considered myself more of an existentialist," Blake said enthusiastically. "The idea that objects must have a fixed essence has always seemed incredibly philosophically perplexing to me. The universe doesn't infuse our reality with that kind of meaning. That seems childish to believe, right?"

"M-maybe," Ruby said awkwardly, slowly inching back towards the opposite wall. "If that's your opinion, then—"

"Except it's not my opinion. I can _prove_ it," Blake said confidently. "Like, think of how we define a chair. A person might define a chair as something that can be sat on, with four legs and a back. So, an essentialist might make the claim that those traits are essential to a chair being a chair; that if an object doesn't possess those characteristics, then it can't possibly be a chair."

"Are you okay?"

"But we can disprove that, can't we?" Blake continued unfazed. "If we scientifically control those variables, we can disprove them. For instance, it isn't essential at all to a chair's identity that it has four legs, because what about rocking chairs, or chairs on multiple spokes and wheels, or chairs with solid bases? Those are chairs without that essential trait, so that original premise must be wrong."

"Blake, I'm scared."

"And the same thing goes for the other traits, too. Does a chair really need to be sat on? If I build a twenty-foot-tall chair and no ladder, no one would be able to sit on it, but it's still a chair. Same thing with a chair that you lock behind a glass case. That essential feature of sitting on it has been removed, but a chair it remains. And I know what your thinking: What about the back?"

"I wasn't thinking that."

"Beanbag chairs! They don't have a back, do they? Their mostly formless, and yet we still consider them chairs. So, obviously, having a back isn't necessary for something to be a chair either. You do consider a beanbag chair to be a chair, right, Ruby?"

"Please, stop."

"So, clearly this essentialism argument can't make sense then," Blake concluded. "All three of the supposedly necessary characteristics aren't actually necessary for the object to maintain its current identity. That begs the question: if they aren't what truly makes the object itself, what does? Is it the combination of all three? Having a majority of them? Or is it something completely different. What if an object is only a chair because we—as a society—deem it to be a chair, and our decision is ultimately based upon our arbitrary whims and desires? What of the very notion of identity is a construct of society, and not of essence that we can claim to obtain? And then, if that's true, what else in our society is, against common sense and perspective, really not a product of objective reality? Kingdoms? Schools? Gender? Race? Are there true, pure identities that objects should be compared against, or is language ultimately descriptivist, merely a collection of meaningless sounds and symbols that we subjectively use to describe materials and concepts in the world whenever they're convenient?"

Ruby looked deep into the crazed void of Blake's eyes, unable to speak. The taste of her turkey sandwich lingered faintly on her tongue. "Um… sure?"

Blake stared back at her, her thirst clearly unquenched. She leaned forward more sharply, digging her grip into her blanket.

"If I have a ship, and over time I replace every single component of the ship with a new component, at what point does it cease to become the original ship?"

Ruby closed her eyes, defensively coiling herself into a ball. "I don't know! I've never been that into philosophy!"

The fire dimmed from Blake's gaze, and she let out a depressed sigh, throwing herself back into her pillow in despair. It was pointless. She might as well have been dead.

"Ruby, you suck at arguing," Blake muttered under her breath. Ruby relaxed, loosening her death clutch on her Scroll.

"I mean, I don't like arguing with people," Ruby explained. "I want everybody to get along with each other."

"I _love_ arguing with people," Blake stated. "It's fun debating ideas with people. I wish Weiss was here. As much as I'd hate to admit it, it is really fun going back and forth with her. We disagree about everything: religion, politics, art, you name it. Do you want to argue about the merits of postmodernist metanarratives?"

Ruby lightly adjusted her glasses. "I mostly just read comic books."

"Exactly," Blake groaned. "How am I supposed to defend epistemological anti-realism against someone who's—and no offense by this—way too simplistic to get what I'm talking about?"

"No, I understand," Ruby said sympathetically. "You want to test yourself. When I was training how to use Crescent Rose, I would try to duel my Uncle Qrow because I thought it would make my reflexes faster. Debating for you is like mind combat."

"Sure. That's a fine analogy," Blake said. It was certainly a better analogy than Yang would be able to provide. Yang Xiao Long: great sex, terrible analogies. If she was a team, that would be their motto. Team YANG: Great Sex, Terrible Analogies.

Blake found that extremely funny for some reason and repeated it in her head a whole bunch. It really wasn't _that_ funny.

"If it'll make you feel better, I'll try to argue something simple with you," Ruby suggested. "I mean, since you have a concussion, it's probably a good idea to focus your thoughts anyway."

Blake perked up, sitting up again as the prospect of dialogue with Ruby struck her. Her team leader was certainly intelligent, maybe not in the fields of history or philosophy, but undeniably intelligent. Debating Weiss was most definitely enjoyable in a sickening sense, but she never felt truly challenged by her. Perhaps the Rose would be able to satisfy her.

"Okay, then," Blake said with excitement. "What do you want to debate?"

Ruby downed the rest of her sandwich and silently stroked her chin, pondering a topic that would prove worthy of vigorous discussion. She thought about it carefully for a long minute, and then with a gleam in her eye, she came to her answer.

"Which pets are better: cats or dogs?"

All of the excitement drained from Blake's face.

Cats or dogs? Cats _or_ dogs? _Cats_ or _fucking dogs_? That was their debate topic? That was supposed to stimulate her, appease her addiction, leave her fulfilled in ways no other person ever could? Nonsense. Absolute nonsense. She wanted a _real_ debate. Taxes—that was a debate she could have. Everyone argued about that all the time. She almost considered storming out of the room right then and there because of how offended she was at the idea of debating pets, especially since the answer was so abundantly obvious.

"Cats. Done. Want to talk about something else?" Blake said hurriedly, but Ruby slowed her down.

"Wait, why cats?" she asked curiously.

"Because they're not evil, that's why," Blake said sternly.

"Why are they evil?"

"Because they bite and scratch and shit everywhere they want to. Self-explanatory."

"But that doesn't make them evil," Ruby stated. "Calling something evil is a really big deal, and I don't think dogs have the moral capacity for evil. Plus, cats bite and claw too, and I don't think a lack of potty training makes something evil."

"Cats _do not_ bite and claw," Blake stated. "Cats are warm and cuddly."

"Dogs can also be warm and cuddly. My dog Zwei is _super_ warm and cuddly, and he's the most adorable thing in the world."

"But dogs bark, and it's so infuriating," Blake said, starting to get annoyed. "Cats purr, and they purr right into your neck, and it feels great. But dogs, they just bark and bark and bark all the time and they don't shut up. They don't ever shut up, Ruby."

"But dogs bark when they're _excited_ ," Ruby said happily, thinking back on the wonderful memories with her pet. 'They bark when they're happy to see you, and then they jump into your arms, and you can play with them all day. And I would say that a dog licking you in the face is more fun than a cat purring."

"You're disgusting."

"And besides, sometimes dogs bark to let you know if there's any danger nearby," Ruby noted. "If there's a home intruder, a cat won't tell you that you're in any danger."

"Why would I need a dog to tell me that? I'm a Huntress," Blake said, frustrated.

"Okay, but what if something happens to you and you lose your sight?" Ruby asked. "There's no such thing as a seeing-eye cat, is there?"

"Please, the dog would probably lead me into the ocean before it helped me," Blake ranted. "Cats could do that job if they wanted to, but they don't because they're smart. Smarter than all of their stupid Human owners. Not dogs, no. Dogs are so fucking dumb. They're so dopey and aggressive and… ugh, I just hate those things so goddamn much."

Ruby smirked. "I don't know, Blake… it sounds like you're making a very emotional argument."

"No, I'm being perfectly logical!" shouted Blake. "You're the emotional one. You're the one basing your decision off of dumb things, and I'm telling you that it's an objective _fact_ that cats are smarter, faster, more loyal, better trained, and better pets than dogs will ever be, because dogs are just the worst, because they can't take care of themselves, they hump everything in sight, and they _smell_. Oh my God, they all smell horrible."

"My dog doesn't smell horrible," beamed Ruby.

"Aha! That's a hasty generalization!" Blake said proudly. "You can't meet the burden of proof just by picking limited examples!"

"Actually," Ruby said swiftly, "since you're the one who made the claim that all dogs smell terrible, _you're_ the one who needs to meet the burden of proof. Not me."

"That's…" Blake trailed off, and then with a great amount of rage, she climbed out of her bed and stomped towards the doorway. "You know what, fuck this. I don't need to lie here and listen to all of this… this… this _dog-praising_. I wish you were never my team leader. Go back home to Patch and snuggle up to your little poop monster, and let it wipe its disgusting tongue all over your face, and catch all of its diseases. I'm going back into the shower, and I'm going to stay there and think about how wonderful cats are, and how they're the best friends a person could ever have, and how ungrateful you are for _daring_ to put dogs above them."

"You know what would refuse to join you in that shower?" Ruby asked with a wink. "A cat. But do you know what pet _loves_ water?"

"Oh, suck my dick," Blake hissed and left the room in a flurry, slamming the door behind her. Ruby hummed gently on her bed, the victory safely secured. She understood why Blake liked debating so much. Winning was good. She felt confident. Possibly Yang levels of confidant. That little wink at the end was unquestionably something Yang would have done. Granted, Yang would have also proceeded to rub her victory in Blake's face every chance she got, but Ruby didn't think she would personally go that far. She was still a rather nice person, and she did not want to taint her morals by deeply involving herself in such a confrontational activity. She was more than content to enjoy the rest of her lunch break in peace, watching funny videos on her Scroll. Only this time, they definitely weren't about turtles.

As Blake stormed down the hallway, angrily muttering to herself about dogs and their many inferiorities compared to the much superior feline, she didn't notice where she was going, and it way almost by happenstance that she bumped into Yang on the latter's way back from lunch. Yang staggered back. Her mind had been preoccupied with a surprise quiz that Professor Port threw at her earlier in the day, but upon seeing Blake, all of those thoughts disappeared, and the past several days of confusion and anxiety returned to her in a snap. They were feelings that Blake would have felt too if she wasn't too busy thinking about how much she hated dogs.

"Oh, hey," Yang said nervously.

"Hey," Blake said absentmindedly.

"You're… you're up. And about," Yang said, trying to sound happy. "That's really good. I was getting worried about you."

"Cool," Blake muttered. "Now, if you excuse me, I was actually going somewhere—"

"Wait, Blake, wait," Yang said, holding up her hands in a desperate plea. "I was really meaning to talk to you. You know, about… _us_? This whole thing we're doing right now."

Blake didn't really know or care about what Yang was talking about. She felt like she should have, but when the canine-anger was flowing through her, her more animalistic impulses tended to take over.

"Yeah."

"Okay," Yang said worriedly. She felt her chest tighten. She was too anxious to pay attention to Blake's distracted gaze. "Look, Sunday was incredible. Like, _really_ incredible. And I know that we said a lot of things to each other, a lot of very personal things. And the truth is, I don't really know how to deal with some of the things you said, and I'm sure you're having trouble understanding me."

"Mmhmm."

"But, we haven't talked since them, and I don't really know where things stand with us. I like you, but the last thing I want to do is complicate anything between us and risk what we have now, and I feel like us not talking to each other has only made things more confusing. Do you know what I'm saying?"

"Yep."

"So, um…" Yang took a deep breath. "I think the most _mature_ thing that the two of us can do is, as soon as we possibly can, sit down and have a really long talk about all of our feelings, and fully decide on what we want to be. I don't want to have to go through the whole schoolyear wondering if we could have been something. And I want to let you know that I will totally respect your decision no matter what you want because at the end of the day, I care about you and I want the best for you. Is that… is that okay."

Blake casually nodded. "Yeah. Sure. Hey, Yang, can I ask you a question? Do you think dogs and cats are better pets?"

Yang was taken aback by the question and stumbled over her words trying to respond. "I… I don't… I mean, I own a dog, so… I would guess… I'm not sure…"

Blake shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, I'm literally about to take a shower, and if you said cats, I guess I would probably invite you to join me in there."

Yang went quiet. Very quiet. She stood awkwardly in the middle of the hallway, generously contemplating all of her options, and then she smacked her lips and bowed her head.

"I mean… yeah, cats are pretty cool, also…"

They never had that talk they really should have had.

* * *

 **Note: As writers, we pride ourselves on trying to make our argument scenes as balanced and unbiased towards both parties as possible. Some of you may feel we have expressed unjust favoritism in this discussion, and so for purposes of clarity, we would like to note: we are horribly allergic to both cats and dogs.**


	54. Emergency (Crescent Rose V2)

**Note: Hello! Update time again. The idea for this chapter was inspired by... okay, confession time. This chapter was actually our idea. We actually thought of it a while ago, and we just remembered we wanted to do something like this but totally forgot because of how long it took to finish the last arc. So, none of you get credit. Haha. Nerds. Take that.**

 **Also, this is going to be a two-parter, but we're not sure if the next part will count as the third filler chapter or not. It's a mystery even to us! In the meantime, enjoy.**

* * *

" _Emergency Team Meeting. Dorm. 3:00."_

That was the entirety of the text message Yang received late morning, and she was reasonably concerned. Ruby wasn't usually sparse with details, and the first thought that came to her mind was that something had gone horribly wrong. She initially suspected it may have been a personal issue, but considering that Ruby demanded the whole team be present, it had to be something Huntress related. Perhaps they had been summoned by Professor Ozpin, or Ruby needed to make drastic changes to their training schedule. Why that would be cause for an emergency, Yang had no idea. All she knew was that Ruby was late to her own meeting, and judging by the irritated looks on her teammates' faces, it better have been something important.

"The nerve of that girl," Weiss muttered. "She knows I have better things to do with my time."

"She did say 3:00, right?" Blake asked.

"I mean, it has to be something pretty serious," Yang reasoned.

"Do you think we're in trouble?" Blake said worriedly, but Weiss scoffed at the thought.

"Trouble? What would we be in trouble for?" Weiss asked rhetorically.

As it turned out, they could have been in trouble for a lot. Specifically, getting involved with gang activity in the city. Not that Weiss was aware of it; as Blake was shocked to find out, Yang was quite reluctant in explaining their weekend to the rest of their team. As Yang relayed to her, when she was about to tell Weiss and Ruby all about the Grimm and the Droogs and Forever Fall, Weiss began a rant about how awful Team CFVY was, and how difficult it was to do charity work for Faunus, and when it came time to explain why Blake was resting in the infirmary, Yang kind of, sort of, maybe got lost in the moment and told a massive lie to her sister.

" _What? How would you explain to them that we were almost eaten by a giant monster?"_ Yang had said to her defensively. For all the nagging Yang gave her about keeping secrets, the fact that she would turn around and lie to her own family seemed majorly hypocritical. Then again, she might have been a bit too hard on her. Yang promised her that she had every intention of telling the truth. It was simply that she had no idea how, and in all fairness, Blake really had no idea how either. _A lot_ had happened, and it wasn't like they could just walk up to her and say:

"Oh, hey, Ruby, you know how we're supposed to be a team and depend on each other? Well, Yang and I decided to go on a revenge mission against a criminal overlord where we basically committed first-degree assault, and then I was stabbed with an umbrella and we got kidnapped and almost sold to an insane woman made of glass as merchandise. Oh, and then a Grimm showed up and we drove off a cliff and then Yang beat the shit out of it with her bare hands. Also, we may have some professional ties to that criminal organization now. No biggie. Don't tell Oz."

Okay, technically they _could_ say that. They _shouldn't_ say that. They would tell Ruby when the time was right. Maybe that would be whenever Ruby bothered showing up.

When she actually did enter the room, she didn't seem like someone who was in trouble. Ruby's smile was wide, and there was lightness in her step as she held something prominent behind her back. In fact, upon taking only a momentary glance at her, her teammates could detect that nothing seemed to be very wrong at all.

"Hello, Team RWBY!" she said jubilantly. "I'm glad you all could make it."

"Emergency team meeting, huh?" Weiss said not jubilantly.

"This _is_ an emergency," Ruby said reassuringly. "A really _awesome_ emergency."

"You probably should have clarified that in the text," Blake said sourly.

"But then you might not show up, and I _had_ to show you this," Ruby stated.

"Show us what?"

"Well…" Ruby said enticingly, rising up and down on her toes. "Remember when we had that battle with Team ATMC two weeks ago?"

"Team ATMC?" Blake asked, confused.

"You know? Team ATMC?" said Ruby. "They were led by that girl Aqua?"

"I' not sure what you mean."

"Blue hair? Big spear?"

"Doesn't ring a bell."

"She kept insulting us for no reason, and she challenged us to that battle?" Ruby said insistently. "There was a big wall of fire, and we got separated, and then I had to sacrifice Crescent Rose in order to save you? Do you remember that? Tia? Mattis? Cyrus? Do any of those names mean something to you?"

Blake narrowed her eyes, tilting her head in suspicion. "Are you _sure_ I was there for that?"

Ruby groaned. "Yes, Blake. You were there for that."

"I'm _pretty sure_ I wasn't there for that," Blake said with confidence.

Yang perked up. "Wait a second, did you say that happened two weeks ago?"

"Yes. That's when it happened," Ruby explained.

Yang's jaw dropped open. "But… _how_? How did only two weeks pass since then?"

"How long did you think it's been?" asked Weiss.

"I don't know, at least a few months. Maybe last semester," Yang said with shock. "That did not feel like only two weeks."

"Yang, there is no last semester," Weiss stated. "We've only been here for about two months."

" _What?"_ Yang sprang to her feet, nearly screaming. "What do you mean we've only been here two months?"

"It's probably closer to two and a half, but—"

"That's not better!" Yang shouted. "I thought it's been at least, like, a _year_ and a half! That blows my mind that it's been so short."

"I think your perception of time is messed up because of how busy we've been," Blake explained rationally.

"Haven't you noticed that none of the seasons have passed?" Weiss asked, frustratingly crossing her arms. "Or any of the holidays? Or that you haven't taken any finals ever?"

"That requires paying attention!"

Ruby stepped forward, drawing the room's attention to her. "Okay, we're getting off track! The point is: Do you remember how Crescent Rose was destroyed?"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "For the sake of argument, yes. We do remember."

Ruby smirked wildly. "Well, check this out!" Finally unveiling the surprise that kept her so spirited, she stuck out her arms and showed off Crescent Rose, collapsed into its sheathed form and looking as shiny and new as one could hope for. The other girls were less than amused.

"Oh, great. Your weapon is fixed," Weiss said snidely. "Is this meeting over yet?"

Ruby tentatively wagged her finger. "Hold on one second, Weiss. This isn't Crescent Rose. Crescent Rose was my baby, but she was admittedly amateur—I did literally build her in my basement in secret. I asked Professor Port to help me with some new schematics, and with his expertise in weaponry, we've done more than just fix my old weapon. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you to Crescent Rose V2!"

The weapon transformed, and it was glorious. Its inner workings whirred, and with a loud _click_ , it morphed into a sniper rifle in Ruby's arms. To Yang, who had seen Ruby intricately construct the weapon and was deeply familiar with its parts, the difference was stark, but even to Blake and Weiss, there were still noticeable aesthetic differences. The old Crescent Rose's sniper form was thick and blocky, almost like a brick. The new model barely had a straight edge on it; it was smooth and refined, constructed of circles and contrasting angles and sharp edges. Its scope was more prominent and positioned further along its back, and it possessed a lengthened barrel that ensured a deeper range. It was also noticeably smaller than the previous model, perhaps by ten percent, which allowed Ruby to easily twirl it in her grasp as she showed it to her friends.

"Wow," Yang said with honest intrigue. "That looks nice."

"That's not even the best part," Ruby exclaimed. The rifle center was comprised of a large, circular mass, and when Ruby pressed its side, a round compartment opened from within, revealing a wheel of eight empty spaces. "Before, I had to install special cartridges for Dust ammunition, and I could only use one type at a time. But now, I'm able to load in Dust canisters all at once, and there's a trigger under the base which allowed me to change them on the fly. I actually got inspired by Weiss's sword for that idea."

"Well, Atlas engineering _is_ superior," Weiss said boastfully, the compliment seemingly causing her to forget that she was supposed to be upset at the moment.

"I figured that I might as well learn from what I have around me," Ruby explained. "The other major difference is that it's semi-automatic now instead of bolt action because it was really tiring having to constantly pump her every time that I wanted to shoot something."

"Ruby, maybe she shouldn't say you want to 'pump her' when talking about your weapon," Blake noted. "It sounds kind of bad out of context."

"And wait, there's more," Ruby said excitedly, ignoring Blake's warning entirely. With the flick of a switch, the weapon transformed again, its parts shifting rapidly; its barrel extended backward into a staff, sharp blades uncurled from hidden compartments within the body, and the wheel that served as a compartment for Dust and ammunition soon became the neck and head of the new weapon. Ruby thrust the finished product over her head and marveled at its improvements. "I've managed to cut down on the bulk from the previous design significantly while keeping the balance in the edge, making her thinner and longer than her old model. I've also managed to cut the transformation time between forms down from 2.3 seconds to 1.6 seconds by cutting back on some of the filler. For example, the old model had a blade at the end of the staff and hooks pointed out of the back of the edge, but I trimmed those down because I was never using them that much anyway. Now, she's so light that swinging it around doesn't even feel that bad anymore."

Yang nodded in approval. "I have to say that I'm liking the resourcefulness, sis. Do you think you can give Ember Celica and upgrade as well?"

"If you'd let me," Ruby grinned. "But I haven't even shown you the _newest_ feature. You've all seen Crescent Rose in Form A and Form B. But Professor Port and I were brainstorming, and we realized that she had a major flaw. Scythes are only really effective weapons when you're constantly moving and swinging them horizontally, but that means that if I was ever pinned down or caught in a cramped space, I wouldn't be able to fight back. That first fight with Team CRDL proved that. So, after a bit of tinkering, we came up with a solution. This… is Form C."

Ruby flicked another switch hidden under the trigger, and the weapon whirred to life once more. The change was quick; the blades straightened and retracted, directing themselves forward, and additional plating shifted to serve as a counterbalance. The change happened in the blink of an eye, but in the end, Crescent Rose was transformed again, originally from a sniper to a scythe, and now, to a lengthy, impressive spear.

Yang's eyes widened with amazement. "Ooh, fancy!"

"You like it?" Ruby asked smugly.

"I _love_ it," Yang said, leaning in to get a closer look at it. Ruby's love of deadly weaponry was well-known, but destructive tools of violence were beloved on some level by all in their household, and even Yang couldn't help but get giddy at the new combat possibilities.

"I mean, that's probably helpful in some way," Blake stated, "but why a spear? Wouldn't a sword be easier for close-quarters?"

"Well, for one, I don't know how to use a sword. Uncle Qrow never taught me any sword techniques, and I'm more comfortable around something big and two-handed like this anyway."

"That's what she said," Yang muttered under her breath.

"But also…" Ruby continued hesitantly. "This is going to sound weird… it's kind of like a tribute in some way."

"A tribute?" asked Weiss. "To whom?"

"Well… to Aqua and Team ATMC," Ruby explained quietly. "Aqua's weapon also happens to be a spear, and it was because of her team that Crescent Rose was destroyed in the first place. By incorporating parts of her weapon as my own, it's my way of acknowledging their skills, and showing that I've grown and learned from them to become a better Huntress."

"That's… sort of mature, I guess," Blake shrugged. She also thought it was sort of weird, but she didn't mention that.

"I think it's pretty cool," said Yang. "But seriously, can you upgrade my stuff?"

"Sure, but it might take a while," Ruby said cautiously. "I'm actually not done with her yet. Like, I have some more ideas for other transformations. I want to do a thing where I can break down Crescent Rose into two smaller scythes, and I can duel wield those together for super close-range combat. I'd also try to make sure each of them also had the ability to transform into submachine guns or something, and then I could be all like…" Ruby proceeded to make a bunch of indecipherable karate noises, swinging her scythe around like a maniac. "Something like that. That'd be _awesome_."

"Do you know how to use dual scythes?" Weiss asked curiously. "Actually, better question: Do you even know how to use a spear?"

"No and no," Ruby said with blind confidence.

"Don't you think you should have learned _how_ to use a spear before turning your weapon into one?" Weiss questioned her. Ruby merely shrugged.

"Oh, Weiss, don't worry. I've always been good at studying new combat techniques. Plus, this gives me something new to learn since I've pretty much got the basics of hand-to-hand combat down."

"Really?" Blake said doubtingly.

"Sure. See…" Ruby rolled up one of her sleeves and flexed her bicep for her teammates. She was undeniably more muscular than when she first came to Beacon, although she was so petite in general that any significant gain in muscle tone was hard to make out. She had the pride from it though, and that had to count for something. At least it did for her. For Weiss and Blake, they simply glanced at each other with dim expressions, neither particularly impressed by anything.

"Well, Ruby, I'm glad your weapon is better," Weiss stated, trying to wrap up the conversation. "Now, if that concludes the emergency meeting, I want to get some studying done for our combat test next week, so—"

Ruby stuck the spear forward in Weiss's face, bringing the heiress's words to a halt. "Not so fast, Miss Schnee! We still have work to do!"

"What work? There is now work," Blake said bitterly.

"That's what you think," Ruby exclaimed. "See, when I was finishing Crescent Rose V2, I realized that it wouldn't make much sense to use it if I was still Ruby Rose V1."

"Ruby Rose V1? What the hell does that—" And then Blake froze as a terrible thought came over her.

No.

She couldn't.

"So, I was thinking that I _also_ need an upgrade," Ruby continued.

"No. No. No. No."

Weiss sneered at her. "Blake, what are you—"

"Nope nope nope nope nope."

"And then I was thinking, since I'm getting an upgrade, my whole _team_ might as well get upgrades," Ruby said with anticipation. Weiss was still confused and unaware, but Blake was already ahead of her, bashing her face repeatedly into a pillow in frustration.

"Don't wanna. _So_ don't wanna…"

"That is why," Ruby said with a massive smile, "we are going to go on the Ultimate Team RWBY Super Expensive Fashion Shopping Spree!"

Yang nearly jumped in the air with palpable joy. Weiss's face was consumed with a deathly irritation. Blake felt a pain worse than getting stabbed through the chest a thousand times.

It was going to be "fun."

* * *

Aqua Lilliota awoke from her mid-afternoon power nap screaming. Her teammates gathered around her in concern.

"Aqua? Are you okay?" Mattis asked worriedly.

"No... no, it's not okay," she said, struggling to catch her breath.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Tia asked. "Would you like me to make you some tea?"

"It wasn't a nightmare," Aqua explained, clutching her chest. "I... I _felt_ something. Like a premonition of something terrible."

"Tell us, what did you see?" asked Cyrus. Aqua caught her breath as the thoughts became more clear. Her eyes narrowed. She went pale, and she gritted her teeth as the truth became known to her.

"That goddamn skank plagiarized me..."


	55. Shopping Spree

**Note: Man, remember how sixteen chapters ago, Blake was brutally stabbed in the chest, and this story got ludicrously dark for like a six-month timeframe? Crazy how stuff changes. But that's what we always liked about anime filler content: It can be as wacky and absurd as you want it to be, and no one complains when the story suddenly goes back to being serious later on. We would honestly write an entirely separate RWBY fanfic of just pure nonsense if we weren't committed to this.**

 **Also, today we learned that character redesigns are hard. Really hard. Making a character look conic and appealing is super difficult, and we're kind of thankful this story doesn't exist in a visual medium so you an all just picture Team RWBY looking however you really want to. But we will say that it is fun. Very fun. To all of those who have drawing abilities, we are super envious.**

 **ALSO, here's something very strange we discovered a few days ago: this story has a TV Tropes page. Google "Let Us Be Your Poison TV tropes", and there it is. We don't know who put it there. Or why. Or how. Whoever put that there, thank you. Again, don't know why, but thank you. It was apparently added in April, so it's a few months out of date. if someone wants to mess around with that and update it, y'all can go ahead. It's just that there aren't many RWBY fanfics that people make pages for, and it's super weird to see our story up there as one of them.**

 **So, uh, yeah. That's all for that. Enjoy.**

* * *

Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna did not see eye-to-eye.

At all.

It could be said by any reasonable person that in terms of religion, philosophy, politics, art, food, or anything in which one could hold contrasting opinions, the pair would manage to find their ways to the opposite ends of the spectrum.

But, it was on a chilly November afternoon that Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna discovered a viewpoint that they could share without any animosity between them.

They really hated shopping with Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long.

Ruby liked shopping. Who would have guessed that? Weiss certainly would not have. She would have assumed that Ruby's quirks stopped at more traditionally geeky things, like weapons and comics and video games. But as it turned out, the young Rose sister had somewhat of an eye for looking socially acceptable. Kind of. It was also entirely possible that she really just liked it because it allowed her to look at herself in the mirror and perform cool Huntress cosplay. Weiss did not really know, and when she thought about it, she realized that she didn't particularly care. Yang was certainly far more enthused, and she had made that extraordinarily clear by forcibly dragging Weiss and Blake headfirst through every rack of clothing she could possibly find. And _boy, oh boy_ , were there a lot of racks of clothing.

Kravez Retailers was the largest designer clothing outlet in all of Vale, perhaps even in all of Remnant. It began as most enterprises did, with small inventory and big dreams, and over the period of a few decades, a series of mergers, corporate buyouts, scandals, and possibly unethical business practices led it to become an unstoppable juggernaut in the fashion world, offering an incredible variety of styles for prices that gullible people mistook as affordable. Blake hated Kravez Retailers because of their well-documented exploitation of their workers, and Weiss hated Kravez Retailers because she saw their offerings as far too limited and tacky for something someone of her status should wear. Under different circumstances, Blake might argue with Weiss about why she cared more about looking important than the actual health and safety of other people, but she was so unbelievably annoyed at Yang showing off her new outfit that she no longer cared about anything other than getting their trip over as soon as possible.

But Yang did not want the trip to be over quickly. She was having a blast, and she made sure to show off to Blake every inch of her new getup as to prolong the experience. When Yang decided that she was going to switch up her style, she knew that she wanted to stick the same theme, but with a different flavor. She had been doing the badass-biker-chick gimmick for so long that she could hardly imagine parting with it, but she wanted to take it up a notch. Her first thought? A change of color. Something sleek and cool. Black was what she decided upon. She had always been okay with the color black, but over the past week, she had grown quite fond of it. No subtext or specific reason why. She just had just been thinking of black a lot lately.

So, she dressed in black. A lot of it. She found a killer pair of black knee-high boots in the back of a discount bin, and she felt bad for the poor saps who didn't think they were worthy enough of being worn. She swapped out her soft mini shorts for a harder fabric, ones equally dark and with actual pockets for her to keep things in. The black fingerless gloves stayed, of course, but her greatest find was a mind-blowing leather jacket that seemed almost perfectly made for her. It was crisp and clean, with a fur-lined interior and golden piping along the sleeves. But it was the back that screamed at her: a golden, fire-breathing dragon emblazoned on its surface, glistening in the fluorescent lights of the clothing store. She bought it without a second thought and slapped it on with a few more slight adjustments. A yellow tank top that kept her slightly more covered on her stomach. Matching over-the-knee socks which she kept slightly folded at their tips. She looked in one of the many mirrors the store provided and realizing she needed a splash of color to break up the dichotomy. She found satisfaction with a bold, purple bandana that she tied around her left leg and violet-tinted sunglasses that she hung from her shirt. She pulled her hair into a ponytail so it wouldn't cover the amazing pattern lining her back, zipped the jacket just up to her chest and puffed up the collar, and after minutes and minutes of guaranteeing every tiny detail was perfect, she finally turned to her teammates and struck a badass pose, to which Blake responded with swift indignation.

"You look like an idiot."

"Oh, come on, I look awesome," Yang responded cheerfully. "The biker gimmick works!"

"It's the same outfit as before, only darker," Weiss stated.

"But have you seen the dragon?" Yang asked, turning around to show off said dragon.

"Yes. Cool dragon. Whatever," Weiss groaned.

"What I don't understand is how you're _still_ wearing mini shorts," Blake stated disapprovingly. "You're walking around with your thighs completely exposed."

"Wow. Shameful, Blake," Yang admonished her. "It's my body and I'm allowed to dress however I want to. I thought you'd be the last person to judge someone for that."

"It has nothing to do with choice," Blake explained. "It's _November_. How are you able to wear that and not freeze all the time?"

Yang grinned cheekily. "It's because I'm _so hot_."

"Oh, God, no…" Blake muttered under her breath, rubbing her face with her palms.

"But seriously, my thighs look great," Yang stated, not-so-subtly checking out her own legs. "You've got to accentuate your assets. Make the boys go crazy. Like, Blake, we need to get you some good shorts. Or some leggings, girl."

"Why leggings?"

"To show off your butt, obviously."

"Um, no thank you," Blake said determinedly.

"Yes. Yes yes _yes,_ " Yang insisted. "You have killer glutes. So many girls would kill for that. You have to be proud of what you've got."

"No. I don't," Blake repeated. "I'm a stealth fighter. The last thing I need is everyone staring at me."

"Don't knock it until you try it," said Yang. "It's like everything you wear is designed to conceal as much as possible."

"Again… _stealth fighter_."

"But you can do stealth and look sexy doing it! Don't you want to _feel_ that empowerment?"

Blake pursed her lips. "Right now, this conversation is making me _feel_ my vagina drying up. So, no. Not really."

Next to her, Weiss violently shuddered, resisting the urge to gag. "Well… that was a sentence I didn't need to hear in my life."

"Get over it," Blake rolled her eyes. "It's just a body part."

" _Your_ body part," Weiss stated irritably. "One that I really have no desire to think of. Also, we're in public."

"I mean, we can talk about Yang's vagina if that would make you feel better," Blake shrugged.

"Actually, no. That wouldn't make me feel better," Weiss snapped. "Let's talk about no one's vagina. Let's just have a vagina-free day."

Blake smirked. "Well, you _are_ used to having penis-free days, so…"

"Oh, fuck off, will you?"

That was maybe the wrong time for Ruby to happen upon the rest of them. She had wandered off on her own while Yang had been preoccupied, and when she returned, she was holding a massive pile of dresses, jackets, shirts, boots, and corsets, the mound of assorted fabrics so large that her face was buried from view behind them. As such, she had to move around the labyrinth of aisles slowly, and that was part of the reason she had been delayed for so long. She sort of wished she had been delayed a little bit longer, given the language she just heard.

"Um… what are we talking about, exactly?" Ruby asked, deeply concerned.

Yang smiled proudly at her. "Rubes, check me out. Don't I look great?" Her sister craned her neck around the pile of clothing, and when her little, silver eyes popped into view of the others, she let out a satisfied whistle.

"Ooh, looking great, sis!" She admired her greatly. Yang had a way of picking colors and styles that matched together seamlessly without effort, and she was sure that Yang selected her current ensemble without a second thought. She hoped she could piece together something half as fabulous, and with her wide selection of choices, she thought she had a pretty good chance of doing just that. Her smile, however, uncomfortably faded. "But, seriously, what were we talking about?"

Blake did not hesitate to answer. "Weiss is a virgin and we're mocking her for it."

"That's not what—you know what? Never mind," Weiss groaned. "I have a question: what are you holding?"

"Clothes!" Ruby said happily, bouncing the pile up and down in her arms.

"I got that," Weiss stated. "But why so much of it?"

"Because I have no idea what to choose," Ruby explained, dropping the pile. The clothes landed on the ground with a tremendous thud, sending out vibrations stronger than earthquakes through the freshly-carpeted store. "I'm caught between a few things. At first, I thought I should go towards something more traditional, to really lean into the honor of being a Huntress. But then I thought, since I just turned sixteen, I should go for something edgier, like a gothic schoolgirl vibe."

"Hold up, when did you turn sixteen?" Blake asked, surprised. Ruby gasped.

"Oh, that's right. You were in the infirmary during my birthday," she answered. "I completely forgot to tell you."

"Everyone forgot to tell me, apparently," Blake stated. "Seriously, I would have done something if I knew."

"I don't think it would have mattered," said Weiss thoughtfully. "All she wanted to do was eat a bunch of ice cream cake. Which, by the way, is _very edgy_."

"Ice cream cake is for all ages!" Ruby said defensively. "But back to my point. I want to show a new Ruby Rose. A cooler Ruby Rose. Ruby Rose V2, who has a cool new scythe and has matured into her new life, and has—" Ruby suddenly gasped, her eyes lighting up with pure excitement. "And has short sleeves to show off her new muscles! I'll be right back!" Ruby dashed off back into the store in a brilliant stroke of red light, leaving rose petals in her wake as her friends watched her disappear from view. Blake and Weiss barely had time to comment on it before Yang snapped her fingers, a great revelation hitting her.

"Oh, I forgot, that was something I really wanted to do," she said eagerly. "I want us all to wear purple in some way."

"No," said Weiss bluntly.

"Why?" asked Blake.

"Because I think that since we're all on a team together, we should all have some unifying theme between us, like a team aesthetic. It'll look super dope when we're all riding into battle together. So, I thought we could all wear purple in some way."

"Does it have to be _purple_?" Weiss asked hesitantly. "Why not a good neutral color, like white?"

"Because white is boring, and my outfit already has purple on it," Yang explained rationally. "Also, Ruby's fine with purple, your outfit could use more color, and Blake loves it."

"I mean, I tolerate it," Blake admitted. "Purple's probably my… I don't know, my fourth favorite color?"

"Fourth favorite? What are the others?" asked Weiss. "I'm assuming black is number one, and just looking at you, I would say that white is your second."

"White's my third, actually," Blake stated. "It used to be my second, but recently, I've started negatively associating it with someone."

"You're the worst," Weiss moaned. "But then what's your second? Blue? Gray? _Light black_?"

"How about yellow?" Yang suggested. She leaned towards Blake, giving her a very obvious wink directly in plain view of Weiss. Blake did not react to it in the slightest.

"Mahogany. It's actually mahogany."

Weiss crossed her arms. "Why mahogany?"

"A girl can't like mahogany?"

"You can like mahogany."

"I need a fucking reason to like mahogany?"

"Of course not. It's a nice color."

"Mahogany?"

"Yeah. Mahogany."

"Mahogany's cool."

"Not as good as beige, though."

"Beige?"

"It's a great base color. Compliments everything."

"Fuck beige."

"You need to appreciate beige."

"God, Schnee's just have the worst taste in—wait, Yang, let go of me!"

Yang had grown tired in the fifteen seconds of intermediate color-based conversation, so she grabbed onto Blake's wrist without care and forcibly dragged her to the nearest dressing room. The stealth fighter kicked and screamed the whole way through, begging Weiss to save her from whatever horrors her teammate had in store for her, but the heiress could only helplessly watch as she was thrown into a small changing booth with a pile of freshly picked clothing, Yang forcibly shutting the door behind them. Weiss was blind to the terrors within, but she could hear the awful things happening just fine, and there were small crevices on the top and bottom of the door through which she could see figures scuffling within the room and clothing being hastily discarded. There was quite a bit of yelling, enough to attract the attention of any patron who had the misfortune of walking by. One, in particular, emerged from the booth next-door with a revolted look on her face, and Weiss had to smile at her awkwardly as Blake loudly proclaimed that Yang needed to stop trying to get her bra off.

It was also a bad time, again, for Ruby to come skipping back. Her smile was as wide as the sea. "Hey, Weiss, look at what I—"

"Get your fucking hand out of my ass, Yang!"

"My hand is not anywhere inside your ass!"

Ruby heard every word crystal clear, and she froze in place, still smiling wide as Weiss took a deep, long sigh.

"Hey, Weiss, look I what I got on," Ruby said cheerfully, pointing at her torso. Weiss looked apathetically at her, but she did regain some minor when she noticed that Ruby had completely changed her attire. True to her words, she found a sleeveless top, and a very form-fitting one at that. Black with a silver collar and turtleneck, it was smooth as silk and fit snugly against her skin, and running up her stomach and onto her chest was a decentered, red cross. A silver belt was slanted across her waist, capable of holding all sorts of bullets for her newly upgraded weapon. Beneath that, a short, dark skirt outlined in more silver, then beneath that long, dark stockings, and then beneath that, not-so-dark red combat boots. Ruby threw her cape up dramatically and struck the most badass pose she could think of, grinning wickedly at Weiss as the heiress examined.

"So, Weiss? What do you think?" Ruby asked proudly. "I'm going for a semi-sexy-but-mostly-religious-girl-who-transforms-into-a-monster-killing-cool-girl look."

"Riiiiiight," Weiss said cautiously. "So, you really meant it when you said you were going to show off your arms."

"Don't they look powerful?" Ruby said seductively, giving Weiss a tempting flex.

"You do realize that it's going to be winter soon and you'll freeze to death," Weiss stated calmly. Ruby snapped and pointed two fingers at her, grinning like an idiot.

"I _didn't_ think of that."

As Weiss pondered what had gone horribly wrong with her life, the door to the dressing room flew open, and there was Blake, standing stiff and still, her face contorted into a mix of pain and humiliation. Yang stood behind her, her arms open wide as if showing off her work. She was simple but effective in her craft. She finally managed to squeeze Blake into a pair of leggings, as well as matching black thigh-high, heeled boots with zippers running up the front. Her top, whatever it was, was completely covered by a thick white jacket with rolled-up sleeves and blackened shoulder pads. Yang completing her theme, wrapped her in a purple scarf tucked into her collar and topped her off with an equally purple bow, and sensing accomplishment with her makeover, she shoved the resistant Blake in front of a mirror, even as she tried digging her sharpened heels into the floor.

"Come on, Blake, just look!" Yang protested.

"No. I hate this. I hate you. I hate everyone," Blake muttered, her eyes furiously shut. Yang grabbed onto Blake's face and pried her eyes open.

"You'll love it, I promise!" she insisted, managing to pop open one eye after a lengthy struggle.

"No, stop it! I just want to—" Blake caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and she pulled Yang's hands away as the pain on her face melted into intrigue. She looked more fully at herself, and then looked down to examine her clothes thoroughly. She picked at her scarf, and then eyed her new boots, and then cautiously, she turned around and inspected her own ass in the mirror, smirking slightly at the sight of it. "Well, _actually_ …"

Yang nodded in approval, but Weiss rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to scream.

"Can we wrap this up already?" she groaned.

"Weiss, I'm amazed you don't like shopping more," Yang said, leaving Blake to admire her own reflection. "Don't rich people love wasting money?"

"I own more clothes than I could ever possibly wear," Weiss said. "I don't need to do more shopping—especially not at _Kravez Retailers_." The words came out with disgust, but Yang felt no offense.

"You gotta be openminded." Yang gazed to the side. "Ruby, you look awesome by the way. Are you going for the semi-sexy-but-mostly-religious-girl-who-transforms-into-a-monster-killing-cool-girl thing?"

"Yep," Ruby said happily.

"Sweet. But you might want to get rid of the glasses."

"But I'm farsighted," Ruby complained.

"Get contacts."

"Hey, both of you! Listen!" Weiss shouted.

"Also, you need purple. We're all doing purple."

"But the purple clashes with the red."

"Then do very light purple, like a bracelet! Your arms look pretty bare anyway, and you can still show off your muscles."

"That's a great idea!" Ruby said, jumping up and down like an excited puppy. "Where is the bracelet section?"

Weiss's aggravation overloaded. She nearly tore her hair out of her head. "Will both of you shut up for a second. Blake, you're listening to me, right?"

The heiress turned to Blake, but her teammate was still looking in the mirror, rocking her hips back and forth to get better angles of her butt. She muttered under her breath.

"Oh yeah, girl. Work that shit."

Weiss felt herself descending into a black hole. The world became an abyss. She was surrounded by so much terrible clothing. Terrible clothing on top of terrible people. It was like a virus, consuming them. Even Blake—viciously anti-capitalist Blake—had been sucked into the horrific vortex that was the world of _fashion_. The fabric was like a chain, ensnaring all who came across it, and scarves were the ropes they used to hang themselves with. She wanted to get out, but a dark part of her Soul knew there was no escape. She would be stuck trying on endless mediocre outfits, constantly subjected to the compliments and commentary of two overly enthusiastic sisters who didn't know how to leave well-enough alone, all to be given a new dress, a new coat, and a new belt that she would never end up wearing because it was dramatically inferior to all of the items she already had in her closet. It was a massive waste of her incredibly precious time. Completely worthless.

"Hey, Weiss," Ruby said suddenly. "Are you okay?"

Weiss was forced to confront reality again. She didn't want to. She really didn't want to. "No, Ruby. I'm annoyed. And tired."

Ruby pouted. She could tell Weiss was not in a very good mood. Primarily because Weiss literally just told her she wasn't, but also because of the million other visual cues she was picking up on. She felt a twinge of guilt in her awesomely redesigned chest. She wanted Team RWBY to bond after what felt like so long apart, and to celebrate the change in their lives. She didn't want to make Weiss miserable—well, not _that_ miserable, anyway. "You know, you don't have to buy anything if you don't want to," she promised.

Yang huffed in anger. "But our team aesthetic!"

"Weiss doesn't need to follow the aesthetic," Ruby stated. "The three of us already have new outfits, and that can be fine. Weiss can change things up when she gets back to Beacon."

Weiss was taken aback by the act of kindness, and the princess of putting others down was left near speechless. "I… thank you, Ruby. I appreciate that."

"No problem, Weiss," Ruby said gladly. "Now, we should probably pack this up and check out. Yang, if you could help Blake."

"On it!" Yang said with a salute, and she hurriedly went to work trying to get Blake to stop admiring the sculpt of her own butt. Weiss, meanwhile, peddled backward.

"Actually, I want to check out something very quickly," she said. "I'll meet you at the register."

The heiress hurried off into the infinite aisles, and Team RWBY worked on neatly removing and folding their new belongings. It was a hassle given all of the many parts, but they somehow managed to get everything into a condensed yet neat pile and carried it towards the entrance. Navigating the store was a challenge itself, not just because the store was massive, but also because they had to resist the many, _many_ temptations along the way. When they finally found the register, they breathed a collective sigh of relief. The line was massive, and it took almost twenty minutes for them to make their way to the front. In that time, Weiss found them again, and Ruby was pleasantly surprised to see that she had something draped over her arm: a button-up, woolen jacket meant to replace her bolero, the same icy blue color as her eyes. Yang was pleasantly surprised to see the other item that she happened to be holding in her other hand: a fancy hair clip in a barely noticeable shade of purple.

Team RWBY reached the register and watched as their countless items were scanned and accounted for with smiles on their faces, realizing that the Ultimate Team RWBY Super Expensive Fashion Shopping Spree might not have been a terrible idea after all. Then, the lady working the register read the price.

"That's going to be 1,200 Lien."

And then their smiles broke.

And then they awkwardly remembered that clothing costed money.

And then Yang nervously smiled in Weiss's direction.

"So… do you want to pay for that?"


	56. Cooking with Coco

**Note: Head's up. There are important notes at the end of this chapter, so make sure to read them. Thank you, and enjoy.**

* * *

In the days following what was collectively referred to as "The Long Weekend," Weiss did everything in her power to avoid thinking about what happened during it. That was easier said than done. Weiss's mind was often her own worst enemy, and it liked to periodically remind her of things just to test how far it could push her. Worse, a Schnee's memory was quite impressive, which meant that on any given day, there was a vast array of painful and regretful moments that could appear in her head. Injuries. Fights. Embarrassments. Insults. Personal failure after personal failure, and though she could try to reflect on the happier times in her life, the sheer volume of misery outweighed her pleasure with each passing day. Still, she tried her best to resist the memories of those three days, for the sake of her mental health, and for the most part, she was able to get through each day putting the past behind her.

That was until Coco Adel grabbed her by the shoulder after class.

It was a good class, too. Dustology, a field she was so knowledgeable about that she could practically sleep through class—which was why she liked the course so much. But when she was leaving the room, she felt a heavy pressure on her shoulder, and even without turning around she was already filled with a sense of dread. After seeing that it was the leader of CFVY who was touching her, she felt an immediate feeling of disgust.

"Oh. It's you."

"Hey, Weiss, I need to talk to you for a second," Coco said, a slight and unusual hesitation in her voice.

"Coco, I really don't have time," Weiss said quickly, trying to turn away from her. "So, if you could take your hand off me…"

"Wait, wait. It's important," Coco insisted. "Just give me two minutes."

Two minutes. That was an awful lot of time to be around somebody that she didn't like. In her opinion, it was one hundred and nineteen seconds longer than was acceptable. But for some reason, she did not instantly mouth off to her senior classmate and dismiss her with a huff. There was something very slightly _off_ about her. She was still the same stylish, ever-cool Coco Adel, but there was just a hint less confidence in her posture, and her proud smile was as hidden as her eyes behind her shades. Weiss could almost not believe it was true.

She was uncomfortable.

"Okay, fine. Two minutes," Weiss said. Coco smiled graciously, and the pair moved out of the way of the other students exiting the classroom so they could have some semblance of privacy as Coco explained herself.

"So… I heard you were the one who donated all that money to the shelter," Coco stated. She said it almost like an accusation, which Weiss felt was strange for a literal act of charity.

"Yes. What about it?" Weiss said indifferently.

"I'm pretty impressed," Coco admitted. "That kind of money goes a long way for the Faunus there. I'm actually really surprised you would do such a thing."

"Well, believe it or not," Weiss claimed, "I _do_ have a heart."

"Right, and that's really great. But…" Coco's tone shifted, and she halfheartedly adjusted her beret. "You also abandoned the shelter on Sunday when you were supposed to be volunteering.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "You know, Coco, only _you_ would be able to make donating 15,000 Lien sound selfish."

"I'm not saying you're selfish," Coco explained. "What I am saying is that fifteen grand isn't that big of an issue for you, and you haven't totally convinced me that you're a good person yet."

"Thankfully, I don't care what you think about me," Weiss said with a smirk. "So, if all you wanted to do was shame me, then I think we can end this conversation."

Weiss tried to leave once more, but Coco quickly snatched her wrist, holding her in place. "I'm not trying to shame you. I want to ask you for a favor."

Weiss froze, her narrowing with suspicion. "A favor?"

"Yeah," Coco said somewhat shamefully. "You see, Velvet's birthday is tomorrow. Last year, I bought her this necklace, but this year I was thinking that I could bake something for her. She _loves_ sweets. But the thing is, I don't just want to bake her something boring, like a cake or cookies. I want to make her something different and interesting."

"And you want to know if I have any recipes?" asked Weiss.

"Well… do you? I don't know a lot about Atlas cuisine, but I know it's fancy and weird and she's never had it before. I thought maybe you could lend me a hand."

"That's your favor? You want a recipe?"

"And, maybe you could help me bake it," Coco added lightly.

"Seriously?"

"I mean, I don't know how to make it," Coco said innocently. "If you helped me—"

"It's a recipe. Follow it," Weiss instructed. "Also, why would I help you? What could possibly be in it for me?"

"Velvet being happy?" Coco suggested. "Come on, I know you don't like me, but you can at least do this for her. I want to make her something special, and if you help me with this, I'm willing to forgive you for everything and start over with a clean slate."

"Can't you get your other teammates to help you with this?"

"I could, but I want you," Coco said earnestly. "Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

Coco lowered her shades, and there was a small spark of desperation behind her brown eyes. Weiss felt something tugging on her chest. She hated that feeling.

"Fine."

Coco pumped her fist in the air. "Yes!" she hissed. "So, what are we going to make?"

* * *

Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Coco had never heard of sticky toffee pudding before, but based on the name alone, she assumed it was sweet and sticky. It was also, as she was surprised to discover, made from dates, a fruit she had never eaten but assumed was awful and terrible in every conceivable way. But she was always willing to try new things, and when she heard that the pudding was topped with a thick caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream, she figured that it couldn't be so bad. The recipe itself was simpler than she imagined, and luckily for her, the student lounge was always empty enough that she wouldn't have to share the space while she was cooking. That was beneficial since she didn't want to expose Weiss's attitude to any innocent bystanders.

The pair had divided the work into two parts. Weiss would be in charge of creating the cake, which involved a fair amount of mixing and pureeing dates, and Coco was in charge of the sauce, which involved hovering over a simmering stove pot for forty minutes as she waited for the mixture of butter, cream and sugar to caramelize. She thought that Weiss would give her something more complicated, something that actually required the two of them working together, but she didn't mind. The only negative thing about it was how boring it was, and unfortunately for the heiress, Coco's idea of passing the time involved conversation. Weiss wasn't going to stand for that. Thankfully, the student lounge had, aside from the most basic of culinary supplies that they needed to complete their creation, a television screen, and Weiss snatched up the remote before Coco did and tuned in to the most interesting, captivating and least threatening program she could think of: the news.

The Vale News Network—or VNN, for short—was in the midst of one of their daily roundtable discussions, in which they invited two members of opposing political viewpoints to have a fifteen-minute long freeform discussion in which plenty of talking points were thrown about and nothing of anything was really accomplished, except, of course, getting high ratings. Plenty of _that_ was accomplished, but Weiss didn't really see any of the spoils in that. The only true thing that she gained was information, which to her was plenty; she may have been the only member of her team who actively enjoyed the vigor of debate. Well, perhaps Blake might have enjoyed hate-watching it, but that woman lacked any sincere appreciation for anything.

The debate was held between Gregor Tredum, a Senior Advisor to the President of Vale, and Talia Bloom, a second-term Senator from Soliton, a region in Eastern Vale. The former was a proud member of the Companions Party, the ruling party of the state; the latter, a representative for the Regalius Party, the recent minority rulers. Weiss's understanding of Vale political parties was thus: at the end of the Great War, King Regalius II of Vale led his outnumbered forces to victory over the forces of Mantle, leading to the abolishment of its monarchy. Despite having the opportunity to consolidate an immense amount of power, he showed great mercy by choosing to end the oppressive style of governing that led to the war in the first place and replaced voluntarily relinquished his own power in replace of a representative democracy—a decision that Weiss personally found rather nonsensical. However, he was so beloved by the people for his selfishness and his cunning that he was elected the first President of Vale, and those who followed him and his ideologies were known as the Regalius Party. They more or less ruled over Vale for seventy-one years until increasing tensions with other Kingdoms and a blundering economy led to a shift of public opinion, and they were voted out of power and replaced with the increasingly popular Companions Party and their stern leader, Markus Pygmalion.

Weiss was under the impression that she liked Pygmalion, at least as well as she could. He had done quite some work in easing the tensions between their two Kingdoms, though not to any point in which they would consider themselves more than enemies, and additionally, there were rumors abound that he was a secret convert to the Faith of Decum Luna, which would have made him the first ruler in Valian history to not worship the True Faith. Naturally, his party would never confirm such a controversial decision; he was unpopular enough as it is without the people discovering he believed in the rapidly-encroaching religion to the north. But Weiss liked him all the same, and as such, she was naturally more inclined to side with his advisor over their topic of debate: the acceptable number of Huntsmen and Huntresses in Beacon Academy.

It was the usual back-and-forth one might expect from a midafternoon VNN debate. Tredum criticized Beacon for accepting such an unusually low number of Huntsmen trainees every year as compared to other Kingdoms and said that their Kingdom needed to build a stronger militaristic force of Huntsmen as Atlas had. Bloom countered by stoking the fears of increased militarization and cited the history of Huntsmen to show that their smaller numbers were always enough to counter any supposed military threat. Tredum stated that times were changing. Bloom stated that he stated that before and it was never true. Tredum claimed she was trying to deny the people of Vale of safety. Bloom claimed he needed to place trust in Ozpin's decisions as Headmaster. Tredum said Ozpin was stuck in the past and should be replaced or overruled. Bloom accused the President of trying to accumulate too much authority. Tredum reminded her that Beacon was funded by taxpayer money, and therefore, any decision about its practices was ultimately up to his administration. Bloom called him a fascist.

That went on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and so forth and so forth and so forth until Coco tapped Weiss on the shoulder, and brought the girl back to reality. "Hey, pay attention. You're overmixing."

She was, in fact, overmixing her batter. She grimaced and pulled her eyes away from the screen.

"Sorry. I was watching the debate," she said halfheartedly. Coco glanced up at the television with suspicion, lightly whisking the heavy dark mixture in front of her with a wooden spoon.

"I can't imagine why," Coco pondered. "It's not like they're saying anything interesting."

"That's strange coming from you," Weiss noted. "For all of the talk you give about educating oneself, I'd expect you to be interested in something like this."

"That's because _this_ isn't educating," Coco explained, flicking her wooden spoon in the television's general direction, spilling droplets unfinished caramel on the counter. "Debates are just exercises in sophistry. People can believe anything you say just by speaking quickly and confidently. It's why, you know…" Coco smiled to herself. "I always win."

"First of all: very funny," Weiss said with punctuated disgust. "But more importantly, there's so much value to live discussion that you simply can't appreciate."

"I don't know. Seems pretty pointless to me," Coco said simply.

"Well, you should probably talk to Blake about that," Weiss suggested. "She appreciates debates as good as anyone."

"I don't know. Blake doesn't seem like my type of gal."

"Why not? You share all of her dumb opinions."

"I'm sure I agree with her on some things, but that's not really the point," Coco explained. "She just seems so depressed all the time, like she thinks the world is ruined and hopeless and everything sucks. And, I don't know, I'm an optimist. I think we can make anything better as long as we work towards it. Speaking of which, don't forget to mix in the eggs."

"I'm not forgetting," Weiss said, adding the prerequisite one large egg into the large stand mixer. She felt like she should have added more than one egg, but then again, what did she know about baking. She didn't create the recipe, after all.

"So, you like debating Blake, I take it?" Coco asked knowingly.

"I suppose so."

"But you don't like her as a person?"

"Oh, _God_ , no," Weiss shuddered. "I can't imagine the two of us being more apart. However, if she wants to keep getting whipped in debates against me, she's more than entitled to do so."

"That is fascinating to me," Coco said honestly.

"What's so fascinating about it?"

"Well," Coco said, slightly adjusting her shades as she continued to stir the caramel, which was beginning to bubble and form, "the way you talk about your teammates, its almost as if you hate each other."

"We do hate each other," Weiss said calmly. "I hate Blake, Blake hates me, I hate Ruby, Ruby hates Yang—"

"Ruby hates Yang?" Coco said, surprised.

"I think so. They have issues," Weiss clarified. "They got in a big fight at the start of the semester, and they _sort of_ patched it up but not really, and I think they're just repressing themselves and the whole thing is going to explode over soon. But, yes: We all hate each other."

"That completely baffles me," Coco admitted. "I couldn't imagine hating my teammates. Fox, Yatsu, Velvet—they're like family. I couldn't even think of screaming at them. Hell, are you saying that you wouldn't even give someone a cake for their birthday?"

"Considering that Ruby's birthday just happened and we literally all forgot to tell Blake about it… yes, I'd think so," Weiss stated. "Although we did actually have a cake…"

"Man, I just can't get over how dysfunctional your team is." Coco let out a long whistle. "I know all teams go through growing pains, but you've been living with each other for months now and you still can't stand it. Not even a little."

"I mean, don't get me wrong. We tolerate each other," Weiss said further. "But let's just say that I wouldn't donate any of my organs to them if they needed it."

"Jeesh. That's rough."

" _Also_ ," Weiss said strictly, "need I remind you that I wasn't supposed to be teamed with them, and the only reason I am is because I had to save you and your friends from the Emerald Forest?"

"Which I'm very thankful for," Coco said quickly. "I'd also be thankful if you remembered the vanilla."

Weiss scowled. Part of her wanted to be upset over Coco's snark, but then again, she did forget the vanilla. How did that happen? It was her recipe, wasn't it? And yet, Coco was the one who seemed to know exactly what to do and when to do it. The CFVY leader seemed to have an unmatched knack for baking, she supposed. The conversation on the news swiftly came to an end with neither side reaching anything resembling a resolution, leaving Weiss mostly unsatisfied. She didn't expect to see anyone concede or anything, but she at least would have liked to see one side squirm a little bit more. It was the only indication that the other person was getting their point across well. Weiss liked that little flash of misery.

She poured in the vanilla.

"I cannot get over that Ruby and Yang not liking each other," Coco said, shaking her head. "Like, I have two brothers, Toma and Mate. We sometimes argue, but I would never hate them for anything. Siblings can't hate each other. That's so weird."

 _Siblings can't hate each other._

Weiss snickered loudly.

"What's so funny about that?" Coco asked dryly.

"Oh, nothing," Weiss said with disdained politeness.

"What? I mean, I know that's not _actually_ true," Coco stated. "Of course, anyone can hate anyone. But I just don't understand what could make someone hate their own sibling."

"Plenty of things," Weiss assured her. "Plenty and plenty and _plenty_ of terrible things."

"Do you have personal experience with that?" Coco questioned. "I mean, I don't know if you have any siblings or not. I don't follow the Schnee family like royalty."

"I have an older sister and a younger brother," Weiss explained coolly. "I get along with my sister fine… as long as she isn't stuck doing my father's bidding—which is most of the time. And my brother…" An image briefly appeared in her mind: a cool silver blade dangling above her bed, glistening in moonlight. "We've never exactly gotten along very well."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Coco said. If Weiss wasn't mistaken, she thought she heard genuine sympathy in her voice. "I call my brothers about once a week. We chat about everything. I honestly don't know what I would do without them supporting me. That must suck not being on good terms."

"Oh, so suddenly _now_ it's acceptable that I have problems." Weiss rolled her eyes. "Because at the shelter, I could have sworn you said that since I'm rich, I don't know what it feels like to suffer."

"I never thought that you didn't suffer," said Coco.

"Sure, you did."

Coco smirked. "Okay, a little bit. But the point I was trying to get at was that you were placing a burden on the Faunus that you didn't realize they couldn't overcome. I know how I come across sometimes. I like to get to the point as fast and as honest as I can, and that means I probably don't phrase everything as well as I should. I know it can sound like I'm trying to put everyone's problems on a scale or something and tell them to ignore the least important stuff, but I'm not. Everyone has issues, and we're going to have to deal with all of it; but, there are some issues that people like you _don't_ have, and I think that not only should we recognize that, but we need to know how and why those problems form, and also when we need to put other things aside and focus on those problems. But, you know, that all takes a really long time to explain, so it's usually just easier to say… y'all should shut up about your petty shit."

Weiss sneered, though even she would admit she was less hostile than she was before. "Are you sure you wouldn't like Blake?"

"Pretty sure. Besides," Coco grinned, "girl's got terrible fashion sense. Not like you, I might add. Dope jacket."

"Thank you," Weiss said earnestly, taking a moment to admire the icy blue tones of her recently purchased coat. Perhaps Ruby wasn't completely wrong about that shopping spree after all. "By the way, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, babe. Hit me," Coco said with a snap.

"Do you always make your teammates exotic desserts for their birthdays?" Weiss asked. "Because you look like this is a new thing for you."

"Let me answer that question with a question," Coco said reasonably. "Do you think you can convince a straight girl to go on a date with you if you pump her full of enough sweets?"

* * *

Coco was uncharacteristically nervous standing outside the door to her own dormitory. The sticky toffee pudding turned out beautifully: a beautiful, cylindrical round of date cake, coated in a deliciously thick layer of caramel sauce and topped with a giant mound of the most expensive ice cream she could get her hands on. But it was foreign. Strange. Velvet's palate was delicate. Would she like it? What if she didn't like it? What if Weiss wasn't to be trusted? What then? She couldn't remember a time she had felt so nervous about something so fundamentally stupid.

Why should she be nervous? She was Coco freaking Adel. Coco freaking Adel didn't get nervous. Coco freaking Adel was cool, like that ice cream—which was melting more and more the longer it stayed on that layer of warm caramel. Soon, it would be nothing but a big, droopy mess, just like her hopes and dreams. She furiously shook her head. She couldn't afford to think like that. Everything would be fine. She would handle it like she handled all of the other times she had asked girls out before she inevitably broke their hearts. She would play it cool. She would hand Velvet the cake, say something witty, make some offhand remarks a nice restaurant they could be going to, and then bing bam boom, she was in. Simple. Easy. Granted, all the other times she did it, she knew the subject would be a lot more interested, and also, there wasn't the risk of damaging an important and inescapable relationship with someone she cared about.

Weiss didn't give a shit about any of that. She stood patiently off to the side of the door, out of view from whoever would open it, wondering how she got tricked into being Coco's wingman. She knew she should have pried more into the older girl's motivations. If she had known her recipe would be used to seduce Velvet, she would have refused; not for any reasons to do with Coco's sexuality, but simply because that meant she would have helped Coco get a date—no pun intended—and she wasn't comfortable with that idea at all. Sex and romance was not a topic that she had any interest in immersing herself in, especially not in the crude manner that so many Valians seemed to practice. There was a certain formality that she required from love, and she might have been the only person in that school to appreciate a good courtship. Although, if Weiss ever bothered wondering about it any deeper, it may have come to her that she was never in the position to test such a theory, and she would very likely buckle under the pressure like so many others.

Coco nervously tapped on the bottom of the door with the toe of her designer boot, taking a deep breath to steady herself, and Yatsuhashi answered the door. Weiss could not see inside the room, though she imagined that it was significantly nicer than her own, given Beacon's strange policies for rewarding its top teams.

"Coco, where have you been?" he asked politely.

"Been busy," she responded casually. "Where's the birthday girl at? I got something special for her."

Yatsuhashi leaned back into the room, disappearing from view. "Hey, Velvet! Coco has dessert for you!"

"Dessert?" a voice replied from deep within the room. It sounded far away, and Weiss's brow knitted. How big of a dorm were they allowed to live in? It took seemingly hours for Velvet to make her way to the entrance, still dressed in the school uniform she hadn't the time to take off, though when she did arrive, her eyes lit up like fireworks upon seeing the plate of sweet goodness that Coco was holding out in front of her.

"Happy B-Day, girl," Coco grinned.

"What… what is _that_?" Velvet asked. She hunched over to get a better look at it, practically drooling all over the hallway.

"Sweet toffee pudding," Coco said proudly. "I know you like fancy sweets, so I asked Weiss to help me make something. I hope you like it."

Velvet took notice of Weiss standing awkwardly a few feet away from her and smiled sweetly. "Really? Thank you, Weiss. That means a lot."

"You're very welcome," Weiss said with a half-smile.

"And I _love_ it," Velvet stated. "Ooh, I need to go get some spoons, and some napkins, and more plates so we can share it."

"What are you talking about? You don't need to share it. It's yours."

"No, we _have_ to share it," Velvet insisted. "Team CFVY shares desserts together. That's the rule."

"Well," Coco sighed, reaching into her back pocket with her free hand, "I hope you don't insist on sharing this, also." Weiss wasn't expecting anything else, but she was surprised when Coco pulled a little box out of nowhere and flicked it open to reveal a small pair of rabbit-shaped earrings, much to Velvet's immense delight.

"Oh, Coco… you shouldn't have…" Velvet said softly.

"Yeah, I sort of doubled up," Coco admitted sheepishly. "Just saw them at the store one day. You know, randomly… when I was looking for birthday presents for you."

"Aww…" Velvet said, her smile practically bursting. She couldn't contain herself anymore, and threw herself into Coco's arms for the biggest hug she could possibly give her. Coco nearly stumbled back, but managed to steady herself without dropping either the pudding or her expensive present. She wished she could hug her back, but Velvet didn't seem to mind. The young girl simply smiled into her shoulder and blurted out her the first thing that came to her mind. "You are like, the _best_ sister I never had."

Strangely, despite Velvet pressing right up against Coco's heart, she didn't notice it shatter.

Coco kept up her smile as Velvet pulled away. "Hey, you better get those spoons before this melts."

Velvet gasped. "Oh, you're right! I better hurry!"

Velvet dashed into the room, and Coco was left alone in the hallway, standing there with a pair of earrings that cost way too much money and a plate of food that was slowly growing stale in her grasp. And, of course, a very smug and condescending Weiss Schnee, staring at her with narrow eyes and a grin that just dripped with satisfaction.

" _Ouch_."

Coco, however, held her head up high. "Hey, the girl's happy, and that's what matters. If she's happy, I'm happy."

"No, you aren't," Weiss said knowingly.

"Seriously, I am," Coco promised. "She's not interested, but so what? I get to hang out with an awesome girl and share a special dessert with her. I can hardly turn around and complain when I get something as sweet as that."

Weiss's smug grin dissipated. Coco did not seem like she was lying. She thought that it might have been fun watching the infamously relaxed Coco Adel through a hissy fit when she didn't get what she wanted, but unfortunately, Coco's reputation proceeded her. She was totally okay with rejection, and Weiss didn't know how to feel about that.

"Well, I think I'm going to go then," Weiss said hurriedly, trying to take her mind off the bizarre emotion that was starting to overcome her.

"Really? Don't you want to join us?" Coco asked sincerely. "I mean, it's your recipe."

"I don't think you'd want that," Weiss said. "You have fun eating your pudding."

"Okay, if that's what you want," Coco shrugged, stepping into her dorm. She briefly paused in the entranceway. "But a quick word of advice. You should seriously learn to appreciate your team more. They're your family. You'll need them more than you'd ever know."

Coco closed the door behind her with her foot, leaving Weiss alone in the hallway. The heiress chuckled to herself. Appreciate her team more? What kind of advice was that supposed to be? She appreciated them for what they were, but they weren't family. They weren't overwhelmingly useful. Ruby, Blake, and Yang—they were there to help her become a Huntress. That was all. End of story. And at the end of the day, they would never truly replace the family that was actually important to her. Nothing could ever be more important than that Schnee name.

Team RWBY did not matter to Weiss Schnee.

And in two weeks' time, when Weiss bled out and died, she would come to regret that.

* * *

 **Notes: Hey everyone. A few important news updates for everyone as we come to an end of these filler arcs.**

 **First of all, thank you to everyone who recommended ideas to us. We know we didn't end up using a lot of them, but we do really appreciate all the suggestions. Although if you like more absurd nonsense in your RWBY, we did write a brief oneshot on our page in a similar style. Warning: contains all sorts of naughtiness.**

 **Second, we're officially changing the rating of this story from Teen to Mature. Honestly, we should have done it at the very beginning, but we didn't for some reason, and now we're correcting that. So, if you aren't seeing the story being updated, check your filters and make sure you can see stories with our rating.**

 **Third, as you may have guessed from that little stinger at the end, the fifth arc is going to be exclusively about everyone's favorite Atlasian, Weiss Schnee. What his her story about? We're not telling. But we promise you will get to learn more about her past, and additionally, Team JNPR has been missing from this story for quite a while, so get ready for them to make their triumphant return.**

 **And lastly, a bit of bad news: We're going to be getting slower with the updates again. Usually, we say that life just gets busy, but the truth is that we're actually going to school to get a Master's Degree, so that's probably going to take up a lot of real-world time. We'll still try to update whenever we can, but yeah, that's probably going to suck. Wish us luck if you can. But yeah, that's all for now. Thank you to everyone for reading, and we'll see you next time.**


	57. Restless Children

**Note: Hi, everyone! We're back! Temporarily! Fun fact, did you know that a C-Corporation is not allowed to deduct insurance premiums on their federal income tax returns as of 2018, but all other general insurance premiums are allowable? Because we sure do now! Isn't learning fun? It's so fun that it has taken us a literal month to find the spare time to write any of this story. And no, this doesn't mean we are back full time, because oh goodness gracious do Master's programs require a lot of research papers. Like a billion research papers. The stress is lethal. But we've felt so bad about not updating for a while that we managed to force this beauty out for you. As stated previously, this next arc is about Weiss Schnee, and hopefully, it should be much shorter than the last arc was. We'll update whenever we can, so don't forget about us in the meantime if you would be so gracious. Enjoy.**

* * *

Silk sheets.

Weiss Schnee had always gone to bed on silk sheets.

Her bedroom was perfect, spacious and elegant in its design. Her room had a window the size of the wall, giving her a perfect view of the shattered moon each and every night. She slept well there, and when she heard arguments coming from down the hall, or Whitley tried to petrify her, or something else went wrong as it always did, she could retreat into the silk and feel safe. It was her shield, and it could always protect her even through its soft materials.

Within Beacon Academy, her shield was made of a cotton blend.

To say that it was uncomfortable was an understatement. Between the rough fabric scraping against her pale flesh, and the stiff bed that barely gave way when one pressed upon it, and the pillows that were seemingly filled with cement instead of feathers and the snoring and shuffling coming from her other teammates as they rested, it was a slight miracle that Weiss could even sleep at all. The only real reason she was able to close her eyes was that Huntress training worked her to the bone, and she was always so tired that it was a struggle to remain awake during the day.

Weiss did not dream, not as far as she could tell. Or, at the minimum, not often enough for her to remember. She had heard of plenty of people like her who simply saw nothingness when the drifted off into slumber, but in a family of dreamers, Weiss always felt alone. That was not necessarily a bad thing; the endless blank of her subconscious was peaceful, and she had the comfort of knowing that any trauma during the day would be forgotten about and brushed neatly away into the void the moment her eyes shut.

Except on that night. On that night, Weiss had a nightmare.

She could not recall its details exactly, and she had always thought that was a strange phenomenon. How could an event that seemed so tangible and real slip away so quickly after waking? She never understood how others could experience such a thing, but when Weiss woke up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, shaking and shivering under the snug coarseness of her blanket, the visions faded faster than she could recount them. All she could really recall was seeing her reflection in a mirror, distorted, curved and elongated as to shove her face into a permanent scream, red color dripping down her cheek. That image stayed with her, even as the rest of the moments faded into the back of her mind, and it took her a moment to get a grasp on her surroundings. She clutched the cotton blanket, finding safety under its rough edges.

"Weiss? Are you okay?" The voice was barely above a whisper, but Weiss could still easily recognize Ruby's high and soft tone anywhere. The dorm was dark save for the faint glimmers of moonlight that crept beneath the shades, and Weiss had to blink a few times to let herself adjust to the darkness. The first thing she saw was Yang on the bed opposite hers, sprawled atop the covers, half-naked and snoring into her pillow. Her eyes followed left to the diagonal, to Blake, surprisingly fast asleep despite the late hour, her face twitching slightly as she dreamed. And then, rolling over to face the bed next to hers, she saw Ruby, sitting cross-legged atop her covers, a light hooded jacket thrown over her pajamas to provide an extra layer of protection against the cold near-winter air. Her notebook was in her lap, and despite the darkness she appeared to be sketching something with a pencil, working feverishly in the late hour until Weiss had distracted her.

"I'm fine," Weiss moaned quietly. "Ugh, what are you doing?"

"I, um couldn't sleep," Ruby stated, casually flashing Weiss her drawings. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"It's nothing," Weiss muttered, silently rolling back into the state she was before. "I'm just going to go back to sleep." She closed her eyes and tried to let the room's silence take her, but it was only a few moments later that Ruby interrupted her.

"You can't do that."

"What?" Weiss groaned.

"If you have a nightmare," Ruby explained hesitantly, "you can't go back to sleep in the same position you were previously in. That will just make the nightmare start over."

Weiss grumbled bitterly, shutting her eyes tighter. "You don't seriously believe that, do you?"

"That's what I read, and it seems to happen when I do it," Ruby shrugged. "You have to roll on your side, or flip your pillow over to a cooler side."

"You know, Ruby? I'll take my chances," Weiss sighed, nestling herself back under her blanket. She took a deep breath and lay still as she could possibly be. The seconds passed peacefully. Then, her eyes opened. "And now I'm awake. Great."

Ruby frowned. "Sorry," she said remorsefully. "I was just trying to—"

"Yeah. I know."

Weiss slowly pushed herself up to her elbows, resting the back of her head against the wooden bed frame. She didn't know what time it was, but she knew they had class in the morning, and that meant that she would probably end up passing out during her lectures the next day. Ruby tapped her pencil lightly against her notebook, pushing up the brim of her glasses. There was a look of regret etched into her face, and she leaned over as Weiss tried her best to ignore her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked carefully.

"Not particularly," Weiss stated.

"Right. Of course." Ruby pulled on the straps by her neck, and the hood tightened closer around her head. "You want me to shut up. Got it."

Weiss nodded, gazing out at the covered window. Ruby Rose was not good at reading people. Never had been. But out of necessity, she learned to read Weiss quite well, and had enough intuition to shut up when the older girl requested. However, as she tried to return to her sketches, she found that she unable to concentrate on anything other than the girl tiredly sitting in the other bed, and against her better judgment, she found herself talking again soon after.

"Hey, Weiss?"

"Yes, Ruby?" Weis responded bluntly.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You're going to ask me regardless of what I say, won't you?"

Ruby sighed reluctantly. "Do you want to see what I've been working on?"

"I assume it's just more weapon stuff," Weiss answered.

"Sort of," Ruby admitted. "But it's primarily a new team maneuver I've been designing. You might be interested since you play an important part in it."

Weiss did not want to see it, and she was very much not interested. However, knowing that she was going to be pestered until Ruby got her way, she relented, tapping on the edge of her mattress to invite Ruby over. Ruby crawled quickly out of bed and gently sat next to Weiss, flipping through her notes and showing them off passionately. Of course, Weiss could barely make out any of the sketches in the darkness, and she didn't know how someone with Ruby's eyesight could draw in such conditions. However, what she could make out was sketched rather well, and she could identify images that were meant to be her glyphs, nearly a dozen of them around the page.

"I call it _Disorientating Crescendo_ ," Ruby explained, though she hesitantly bit her bottom lip, "or maybe _Sundown Ricochet_. Or _Endless Ricochet._ Or just _Ricochet_. I haven't decided yet. Anyway, the idea is that this move is performed against a single large target like a Grimm. You would surround the target with a series of platform glyphs at a bunch of different angles and altitudes, and then we would all use these platforms to rapidly launch ourselves at the target so it can't keep up with the attack."

"That sounds… risky and difficult," Weiss said, unimpressed. "First of all, the amount of glyphs Myrtenaster can create at any given time is six, so unless you have another one lying around somewhere, we would need to be very precise with our placement and movements, or more likely, I'd have to keep them moving to keep up with our attacks. Also, keeping all six activated and moving like that requires a lot of focus; do you even know how Myrtenaster works?"

"It's just pressing a button, right?" Ruby asked innocently.

"To summon a glyph? Yes. To do anything else? Imagine playing a clarinet solo while someone keeps assembling and disassembling your instrument. The entire handle is loaded with various sensors—the positioning of your fingers, the pressure those fingers place on the handle, the tilt and angle of the blade, which portion of the sword is facing up—all of that can radically alter glyph behavior. It's meant to be an almost impossible weapon to utilize, and even after a decade, I'm not anywhere close to mastering it."

"Right," Ruby shrugged. "I mean, it's still in the conceptual phase."

"That's not even the worst of it," Weiss continued. "I mean, even managing all of those contradicting trajectories would be a hassle. We would have to launch ourselves downward at the target without crashing into them, and then somehow launch ourselves back up towards the other glyphs, and then off of those toward _other_ glyphs and… it's never going to work. We'd need another glyph placed under or around the target, and I don't know why we wouldn't just use a different strategy that's easier to use, and—"

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm not smart," Ruby cried. "You don't have to be so mean about it."

"I'm just being honest," Weiss huffed. "You wanted to show me your work, I'm going to tell you what I think of it."

"I know," Ruby said, disappointed. "I was just… trying to come up with a team attack that you could be a part of."

Weiss froze, caught off guard. "What?"

Ruby bowed her head, her glasses sliding off their seating on her face and left dangling by her ears. "I mean, I know that you probably aren't happy with a lot of the moves that I come up with. You trained really hard to be a fighter, but usually, I keep you relegated to being support while the rest of us do the fighting. I thought if I developed a technique that you were involved in, you might not feel so… you know…"

Weiss had no planned response for that, no witty remark or snap or bite. She had known Ruby Rose as a meticulous thinker; in fact, it was the lone admirable quality that the girl seemed to possess. She was naïve and whiny and childish and obnoxious, but she could deconstruct a battlefield like no one else, and her knowledge of tactics and strategy were pretty much the only reasons she felt comfortable putting her own life within Ruby's hands. But Ruby planning a method of attack to make her feel like part of the team? That was stupid, insanely so. Not to mention condescending, as if Weiss couldn't be a professional and needed to feel loved and needed at every waking moment of her life. And it was also reckless, and risky, and wasteful, and poorly planned, and showed a complete lack of respect to everything that the institution of Huntsmen and Huntresses represented.

And, in its own uniquely Ruby-like way, it was also remarkably sweet. And Weiss was thankful that in the darkness of the room, Ruby would never be able to see the color in her cheeks.

"Hey, lesbians. Shut up."

Blake's voice came unexpectedly, and Ruby jumped in her skin before cringing in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry, Blake," she said quickly. "We'll be quiet."

"Please do," Blake moaned, rolling around in her sheets. "The one night I decide to sleep, and you won't shut up about weapons and ricochets and whatever."

"We're still not cool about your lack of sleep, by the way," Ruby reminded her.

"I still don't care," Blake reminded her back.

"Blake, sarcasm doesn't help you sleep," Weiss stated, but Blake merely shoved her head deeper into her pillow.

"That wasn't sarcasm, it was apathy," she muttered. "Learn the fucking difference you pgg hemded abwewhbhb…"

The exhaustion once again took hold of her, and like that, Blake was out again. Ruby sighed and glanced behind her toward Yang, taking some small comfort in the fact the other girl was still asleep. She wasn't sure a freight train would wake Yang from her deep slumber.

"You should probably get to bed, Ruby," Weiss suggested. "Don't want to upset, Blake."

"Yeah. Probably," Ruby sighed. However, before she left Weiss's side, a thought struck her. "You know, if you have a problem controlling Myrtenaster, we could ask Professor Port to reconfigure it for you, like how he rebuilt Crescent Rose."

Weiss shook her head. "No way," she said simply. "I'm not letting someone dissect rare Atlasian technology. My sister could kill me."

"Your sister?" Ruby asked. "I… I didn't know you had a sister."

"I must have told you at some point," Weiss stated, but Ruby denied it still.

"I feel like I would have remembered that. You never like talking about your family except when it's about their name."

"That's because in Atlas, families actually keep their personal matters personal—unlike you and your sister's little spats."

"That's fair enough," Ruby noted. "But still, you could have mentioned her."

"Her name is Winter," Weiss said with a slight smile. "She's a few years older than me. She's a Regent Commander in Atlas's Special Operations Unit. She's the strongest Huntress I know."

The sound of Atlas's military carried with it a cold bite of familiarity, but Ruby shoved it inside. "You sound like you admire her."

"There's a lot to admire," Weiss admitted. "She taught me most everything I know about combat. She's skilled in ways you couldn't even imagine. And despite how busy she is, we've always been close… relatively speaking. It's a small miracle."

"Wow," Ruby said, following in her partner's awe. "She sounds incredible. I know she's busy, but you should try to get her to come visit. It would be great to meet her."

Weiss chuckled. "Actually, it's funny that you mention that. She called not too long ago asking about my schedule. She offered to visit on the twenty-first."

"What?" Ruby asked excitedly, her voice rising beyond a whisper, causing Blake to groan in irritation. "That's next week! We're totally free the twenty-first. Or at least I can make us free. That'll be perfect."

"Well, the thing is," Weiss said hesitantly, "she actually pulled the offer back."

"She did? Why?" Ruby asked, slumping over in disappointment.

"I don't know," Weiss shrugged. "Maybe I said something to make her think I was busy, but she seemed like she wasn't interested."

"That's a shame," Ruby stated. "I mean, it sounds weird to say this, but I actually would like to know what it's like having two Schnees around."

"We'd be a lot to handle," Weiss smirked. "Honestly, I don't think this poor excuse for a school could handle."

"You don't really still hate Beacon that much, do you?" Ruby asked doubtingly.

"Of course, I do," Weiss said without a second thought. Ruby pouted like a lost child.

"Really? But, you chose to come here."

Weiss scoffed. "Do you really think I would choose to come to _Beacon_ over Atlas Academy? Ruby, this school is my prison sentence. I'm only here because—"

Her words were cut off when she heard a sharp rapping on the door. They silently glanced at the door, as if they expected it to suddenly burst open. A moment passed, and then it came again, louder and more forceful, and Blake screamed into her pillow as the noise became unbearable to hear. She tumbled out of bed, throwing her blanket off her shoulders and storming to the door in a minor fury. Was she in any appropriate condition to answer the door? No. She was an angry, disheveled mess, and since her yukata was in the wash she was dressed in a t-shirt that was only slightly big enough to cover anything meaningful. She threw open the door rapidly, not even looking at who was on the other side.

"Bitch, I am sleeping!" With a humph, she slammed the door shut on the other person, and then crawled back into bed, grumbling and ranting to herself as she lay on top of her barren sheets. Ruby, however, having been bothered to actually pay attention to her surroundings, quietly got up from Weiss's bed and opened the door for their guest, letting the light from the hallway flood into the room and shine upon the visage of their post-midnight intruder.

"Hello, girls," Professor Goodwitch said politely. "It's good to see you as always." She was dressed snugly in a bright purple turtleneck, her curly hair unusually loose and falling over her shoulders, and she carried a mug that read, _World's Greatest Huntress_ in boldface on the front, but despite her apparel and the early hour, her demeanor was as sharp and cool as ever. She didn't seem particularly fazed by Blake's polite message; instead, she motioned into the room, toward the back where the girl with white hair watched her with surprise. "Miss Schnee, I need you to come with me. There's some urgent business you must attend to."

Weiss stammered, rolling up the edge of the blanket between her fingers. "Business? What are you talking about?"

"I'll explain along the way, but we should probably hurry," Goodwitch said with an air of haste.

"Is something wrong?" Ruby asked worriedly.

"That will be up to Miss Schnee to decide," Goodwitch shrugged. Ruby scrunched her nose. That wasn't a particularly clarifying answer, and it was for that reason that she went to throw on her slippers.

"Okay, I'm coming, too," she declared effortlessly.

"That won't be necessary," Goodwitch assured her. "This is a personal matter with Miss Schnee. I'm sure you wouldn't want a part of it."

"Hold on. If something is really wrong, we should come with her. At the very least, we can wait outside while you talk about whatever you need to talk about." Ruby spoke with more confidence than she maybe should have, but there was something strange within Goodwitch's voice that led her to believe that there was something more important than she was letting on. Plus, what urgent business could possibly require being woken up in the middle of the night for."

"Miss Rose," Goodwitch said sternly. "Miss Schnee is mature enough to handle certain issues on her own."

"And we are her teammates, which means that if there is something wrong, we deserve to know what it is," Ruby reasoned.

Weiss tried to stop her. "Ruby, it's fine. I'll—"

"No, I'm coming," Ruby said with sudden intensity, enough to silence any worries the heiress might have expressed. She turned to the other side of the room and spoke with the same determination. "Blake, Yang, wake up. We have team business to attend to."

Blake let out a guttural scream and pounded her head repeatedly into her pillow. "Oh my God, I hate you all," she cried. Yang responded with merely a loud snore, and Blake responded to that by throwing her pillow at Yang's head as hard as she possibly could. The heavy mound smacked against Yang's open jaw, and the force was so strong as to send Yang tumbling to the floor, which finally woke her up from her coma.

"Ow… what the hell?" she grumbled, climbing back onto her mattress, confused and weary.

"Yang, get dressed," Ruby instructed. "We're heading out."

"Do we have to do that?"

"Yes, Yang. Weiss needs us."

"Not that," Yang moaned, dragging her palm across her face. "Do I have to get dressed? Can't I just go like this?"

"Yang. Clothes," Ruby said sternly.

Yang moaned. "But not wearing pants is _fffffuuuuunnnnnnnn."_

Goodwitch agreed. She did not care.

* * *

Goodwitch's office was a far walk from their dorm, like how everything was a far walk from their dorm. Weiss stayed near the back of the party, lingering behind the eager Ruby, and the mumbling and breathy Blake, and the sleepy and still barely-clothed Yang, and staying near the back meant that her thoughts had plenty of time to drift about to unsightly places. Her gaze locked to the floor, glistening and clean, reflecting her own image back at her through the distortions of the smooth stone.

Weiss grimaced.

The janitors at Beacon spent so much time polishing the damn floors, but it didn't matter how long one spent shining the outside of something that was rotten from within. Something so distorted and frail. No matter how beautiful the reflection appeared, it was only an image. The thing beneath, she knew, was broken.

" _So, do you understand why we have to do this?"_

 _Weiss looked up from her reflection. The sun cast her father's office in a heavenly glow. Everything was symmetrical, orderly; even his posture was straight and refined. Her hand gently reached to the bandage covering her left eye. She felt the fabric that split her face in two._

" _Y-Yes, Father," she replied weakly._

" _You should be far more grateful," he said strictly. "You have put this family through an incredible amount of stress and humiliation. This deal with Ozpin—I hope you see that this is the only way we can redeem whatever honor we have lost." He mused to himself, sputtering under his breath. "My own daughter: forced to live in that retched Kingdom. May the Gods forgive us."_

 _Weiss felt tears start to overcome her. She held them in. It was not allowed for her to lose herself in front of him. She could not afford any more weakness._

 _A crooked pain lurched behind the bandage._

"Ah, here we are."

Goodwitch's call returned Weiss's attention to the real world. They were at her office already. Time had flown by so quickly. She let the memory fly loose like the nightmare from earlier. There was something graver to attend to, though what it was specifically, she hadn't the slightest idea. It was only when Goodwitch opened the door to her office and Weiss finally peered inside did she understand.

And she froze in the doorway, staring inside the room with stunned awe.

The woman waiting inside did not sit as she was told to by Goodwitch's desk, but stood tall in the middle of the room, hands clasped behind her back. She was rigid and immovable, striking out proudly from the posters and files that cluttered the office around her. She was clad in an overcoat, straight and narrow, decorated in regalia, a thin shoulder pad and strap on one side, three ribbons down the chest on the other, colored the bold navy blue that christened the Special Operations Unit. Her hair, white as snow, was tied and tucked beneath her cap the same shade as her uniform, a pin of five crisp, vertical black bars affixed to the right side, indicating a rank superior to all others: Regent Commander.

She spotted Weiss from beneath the dark rim of her cap, and her thin lips twitched into a smile laced with tempered fury.

"Hi, sis," she said calmly. The air became still. "We need to talk about your finances."


	58. Pretty Thing

**Note: Hey, we're back. Happy RWBY Vol. 7 release! To celebrate, we actually squeezed in time to write another chapter. Fun fact: taxation really sucks and we hate it. Excel? Great. We won't lie. Part of the reason this chapter has taken so long is that we've been spending a lot of our spare time working on writing more original works (and also a very fucked up Chopped fanfiction for some reason). We probably won't update for another while because our minds are pretty fried, but we hope you enjoy this little return to form. Cheers, loves.**

* * *

"Fifteen thousand Lien? Fifteen _thousand_ Lien? Are you out of your damn mind?"

"Winter, you are overreacting."

"Overreacting?" Winter said with disgust. "I'm sorry, but what exactly would you consider an appropriate reaction to finding out my sister spent fifteen grand like this?"

"Oh, give me a break," Weiss said in protest. "That's nothing. I've seen you spend more picking out your clothes."

"Clothes have _value_ ," Winter spat. "You don't see me throwing away thousands on charity."

"Well, the last time I checked, the Faith tells us we're supposed to be charitable," Weiss said defensively.

"Yes, to those who deserve it," Winter stated, "not to a fucking _animal_ shelter."

It was cramped and hot in Glynda Goodwitch's office, and no one was entirely sure how much was that was from the actual dimensions from the confined space or the energy emanating off the two sisters as the words flew between them like bullets. Goodwitch had planted herself behind her desk, effectively taking herself out of the action, while the other members of Team RWBY hung around awkwardly by the doorway. In the center of the room, the Schnees dueled: Weiss almost hunched over in her passionate pleas, and Winter standing proud and resolute.

"You have no right to stand here and lecture me over what I can and can't do with _my_ money," Weiss stated, but Winter sneered at her.

" _Your_ money? I'm sorry, but when exactly did any of that become _your_ money?"

"When you _gave_ it to me," Weiss explained. "That's how ownership works. You give someone something, it becomes theirs."

"I didn't give you any of my money. You are not the owner of that money. I gave you a credit line—a credit line I, under no circumstances, owed you—and I gave that to you trusting that you would use it responsibly. I let you _borrow_ that money under the conditions that you would use it for good and necessary purposes, of which this is neither."

Ruby spoke suddenly. "Wait, a credit line?" She should not have spoken. She knew very well she should not have spoken. If she knew that she shouldn't say anything to one upset Schnee, then it was certainly common knowledge that she should not have said anything in the presence of two upset Schnees. But Ruby's curiosity was peaked by that particular phrase, and she would not be satiated until she received an answer, even as Yang awkwardly tugged on her arm to silence her.

"Ruby. Not now," said her older sister, always so much more socially-conscious.

"I want to know. Weiss, what is she talking about?" Ruby asked worriedly. Weiss gritted her teeth. The truth had long since been buried in the pit of her stomach, and she felt no desire to retch it out. But she was caught, unable to avoid Ruby's prying silver eyes and the guilt and anger exuding from her sister. She sighed, struggling to get the words out properly but somehow finding the syllables.

"I got… cut off before I came here," she admitted weakly.

"Cut off?" Ruby asked, stunned.

"My father wasn't happy with me," Weiss explained, not willing to look Ruby in the face. "He claimed that since I wasn't good enough to make it into Atlas Academy, I didn't deserve any Atlasian privileges. So… he cut me off. He shuttered my bank accounts, took back my controlling interest in the Schnee Dust Company, killed my credit cards, and basically robbed me of every last Lien I ever had. He said I didn't _need_ the money while training to become a Huntress."

"Which is why _I_ decided to give her financial backing on my own," Winter finished explaining for her, her words dripping with regret. "I gave her a card and a limit of five million Lien, and I told her it was she could use as much as she wished as long as it was for necessities."

A sharp laugh broke out across the room, and Winter quickly glared at Blake, snickering to herself as she leaned against the wall.

"Hold up a second," she stated. "That is the most rich-asshole-thing I've ever heard in my entire life. What exactly do you think she's going to need _five million Lien_ for? Do our midterms involve fucking yacht racing?"

Winter pursed her lips, staring daggers through the lazy-looking girl dressed in barely more than a T-shirt. "I'm sorry. I'm just now realizing that I have no idea who any of you people are."

"Blake Belladonna," she introduced herself with a smirk. "Adorable atheist anarchist. People tend to hate me."

"I can see why," Winter sneered. She turned her attention to Yang, and Yang, feeling some undesirable urge come over her, followed suit.

"I'm Yang. Yang Xiao Long," she said uncomfortably. "I, uh… don't have any comments."

Ruby stepped forward. "Ruby Rose. It's nice to meet you."

Winter's eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything, Weiss hurriedly added, "No relation to Summer. I know, I thought the same thing when I met her."

Winter eyed her suspiciously, but she didn't consider the similarity of Ruby's last name any further. That would have required her to divert her irritation away from her own sister, and she was not going to let Weiss escape so easily. But she did recall the brief conversation she had over the phone not too long ago, in which Weiss deferred onto Ruby a large portion of her responsibilities. She held onto that bit of information, and turned to Weiss's disjointed and underdressed teammates, clearing her throat as she focused on Ruby in particular.

"Ruby Rose," she said authoritatively. "You seem like you have an understanding of my sister's basic activities. Is that correct?"

"Uh, yes," Ruby stammered nervously. "I'm sort of like a team leader—I mean, not officially or anything. We all just listen to me sometimes. Kind of. Maybe. You know, it's more like—"

"So, Ruby Rose," Winter continued, "it is my understanding that Weiss was sent here in order to complete her Huntress training. Maybe I'm unfamiliar with the methodologies used at Beacon Academy, but the last time I checked, I don't believe that donating to Faunus was amongst the curriculum. Is _that_ correct?"

"Yes, ma'am. You see—"

"Then, Ruby Rose," Winter growled, "can you explain to me how a set of circumstances arise where my sister would even be in the _position_ to donate several thousand Lien to Faunus when the school would not require her to? Because that does not sound like something that my sister would do spontaneously, and if Beacon did not direct her to do it, and her own instincts did not direct her to do it, then that would likely mean that someone else _close to her_ directed her to do it. Would you agree with that logic?"

Her unblinking gaze. Her precise tone. Her stoic fury. It turned out that all Schnees had the ability to break Ruby into pieces.

"Winter, stop it," Weiss pleaded. "Ruby didn't make me do anything. All of my decisions were my own, so be mad at me, not her."

"Ruby, I'm still waiting for an answer," said Winter, her tongue rolling in her mouth. Ruby, against every better judgment she had, opened her mouth, but Weiss's hand covered it before she could speak.

"Winter, I'm serious," Weiss growled. " _Stop it_." The fire, perhaps more than she was expecting, hushed the older woman for the moment, and she clicked her jaw as Weiss moved forward, rising to meet Winter's eyes. "Winter, be honest… you didn't fly all the way here to complain about a few thousand Lien. What does he want from me?"

The correct answer would be: everything. Winter did not say that; rather, she grimaced slightly and paced towards Goodwitch's desk, resting her fingers on its surface.

"Perhaps your Professor would be keener on answering that question?" Winter suggested. Goodwitch prepared to answer, but Weiss cut her off.

"No, I want _you_ to answer it," she said forcefully. "If he wanted Professor Goodwitch to tell me, he would have called. He didn't. He sent _you_ , so _you_ need to tell me what he wants."

Winter removed her fingers from her desk and returned to the center of the room. Her jaw clicked once again.

"He wants me to check your progress. Thoroughly," she stated. She gritted her teeth. "However, I would very much prefer if we had the rest of this conversation in _private_."

Ruby shook her head, stepping forward and shielding Weiss with one of her arms. "Hold on. We had an agreement that we would have this meeting as a team. You can't just—"

Weiss gently lowered Ruby's arm. "It's okay. She's my sister. I can talk to her alone for five minutes."

Ruby hesitated, but it quickly dawned on her from her teammate's solemn expression that she wasn't going to have much say in the matter. She acquiesced to the terms and reluctantly led Blake and Yang out of the room, quietly closing the door behind them. Blake instinctively crossed her arms and scoffed.

"Well… she seems lovely."

"Come on, we don't know her," Ruby said hesitantly. "Weiss was saying earlier that her sister was pretty all right."

"Did she also mention the horrible racism?" Blake questioned. "Because _yikes_."

"That's just Atlasian culture."

"And that's just an excuse." It was. It absolutely was, and Ruby soured at the thought of it. She tried to focus on the mumbles and whispers coming from behind the doors of Goodwitch's office, but they were indecipherable. She was left to speculate, and since she was Ruby Rose, that meant overthinking every insignificant detail until her head exploded and she was left a quivering mass of doubts and anxiety. She was completely unaware of a wholly different set of doubts and anxieties in her teammate nearby until Yang awkwardly spoke up.

"Hey, Ruby, since we're here," she said gingerly, "can we talk about something?"

"Huh?" Yes. A distraction. "What's wrong?"

"Well…" Yang sheepishly scratched the back of her neck and looked at Blake for guidance. She received an angry glare. A you-honestly-delayed-this-conversation-for-days-because-you-insisted-on-telling-her-yourself-and-you-decide-to-tell-her-about-this-right-fucking-now glare. A glare that gave her second thoughts, but betrayed her when she realized she had already started the conversation and couldn't exactly turn back.

"Yang, you can talk to me," Ruby said carefully. "I mean, I know things between us have been a bit rough, but you can talk to me."

"Okay," Yang grimaced. "So, you know how Blake and I got into a motorcycle crash recently?"

"Yeah?"

"And you know how we said that Blake got injured because she wasn't holding on and she got thrown off the vehicle?"

"Yeah?"

"And you know how I said it was no big deal and you shouldn't worry about it?"

" _Yeah?"_

Yang laughed uncomfortably. "Yeah… so I might not have been completely honest about what happened that weekend."

"O…kay?" Ruby said nervously. "What _did_ happen that weekend?"

"We got kidnapped by Droogs and were almost fed to a Grimm," Blake said suddenly.

Then, Ruby's head exploded.

" _What?"_ she screamed frantically.

"Hey, I said I would tell her," Yang muttered, but Blake dismissed her.

"You were taking forever. Get your words out faster next time."

"Wait, stop. Stop stop stop stop stop _stop_ ," Ruby said, her heartrate rising furiously. "One thing at a time. Why were you kidnapped by Droogs?"

Blake took over the explaining duties from there. She mentioned Zelina Zaripova and her quest for vengeance against those who wronged her, their trip to the nightclub, assaulting the Droog hideout, the girl with the umbrella that pierced her through the chest, and then the long trip to Forever Fall and the woman made of glass and the big, frightening bird that almost ate them on a few occasions, and while she said all of this, Ruby slowly backed against a wall and just collapsed down its surface, feeling all the life suck out of her. By the time Blake was done talking, she was fully seated and staring out into nothing, barely able to process anything.

"So, yeah, that's pretty much it," Blake finished. "Let me tell you: not fun."

"Are… are you _sure_ there's nothing else?" Ruby asked breathlessly.

Of course, there wasn't nothing else. Blake never bothered to mention Yang's little psychosis problem, and she also thought it wise not to mention to Ruby any of the filthy, sinful things she did to her sister as repayment for saving her life; but for the purposes of their conversation, she considered herself done. "Yep. That's everything."

"That was… you could have… ugh…" Ruby groaned, her head killing her. "Why didn't you tell us you were doing any of that?"

"Because you would have tried to stop us," Blake stated.

"Of course, I would have," Ruby said intently. "Because that's insanely dangerous."

"I mean, we turned out fine," Blake said defensively.

"Fine? You got impaled through the chest!"

"Yeah, we _turned out_ fine. Like, in the very end," Blake clarified.

"Who cares? You both almost died, and we never would have found out what happened to you. Don't you know how concerning that is? Do you know what would happen if I came back one day and you two were just… gone?"

"Look, I'm sorry," Yang said truthfully, "but we weren't going to let the Droogs get away with what they did to Zelina. I get you're mad, but—"

"Oh, this is so _you_ ," Ruby hissed. "Rushing out into the most ludicrously dangerous situation possible because you don't think anything through."

"Oh, here we go…"

The sisters tensed up, Ruby rising to her feet and squaring her shoulders. Before either of them could get going, however, Blake placed a hand on each of their arms. "Hey! I get that its apparently National Fight Your Sister Day, but can we just focus for, like, a second? Yang killed a _Grimm_ —you know, the giant people-eating monsters that we're kind of actively concerned about? So, maybe we should talk about how that happened instead of going on another big Team RWBY hatefest? Cool?"

Ruby took a deep breath and took a step away from Yang. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Fine," Yang said shortly.

"Okay, then let's talk about this Grimm," Blake stated. "Yang managed to beat the thing to death in Forever Fall. We need to know how."

"I punched it," Yang said bluntly.

"Yeah, but that doesn't make any sense," Blake noted. "When we fought that Grimm in the Emerald Forest, you also punched it, but you didn't even put a scratch on it."

"I don't know. It's like three in the morning. I'm tired," Yang said, followed by an obnoxious yawn.

"I'm just trying to figure out why punching it hard with your Semblance one time destroyed it, but the first time it did nothing," Blake thought out loud.

"Well, let's control our variables," Ruby reasoned. "What was different with you in Forever Fall?"

Yang shrugged. "I mean, I was using a lot more energy the second time. My Semblance was kind of overloaded because of… well, _reasons_."

"That's part of it, maybe," Blake theorized. "The only other thing I can think of was that you didn't have your gauntlets with you the second time."

"How does that make any sense, though?" Yang questioned. "I would be stronger _with_ my weapons, not without them."

"Unless Grimm are immune to everything except direct Human contact," Ruby said, tension rising in her voice. "Remember Zelina's book? It said that Grimm were beings of contradictions. They could only be killed by the things that 'fueled their existence'. They eat Human beings, so maybe the only thing that can wound them is Human flesh?"

"Oh, great," Blake rolled her eyes. "Wonderful idea. All we have to do to stop the Grimm is _punch_ them to death. Can't wait to test that hypothesis."

"I'm just rambling," Ruby stated. "Still—"

"Still, the more likely option is that Yang's Semblance made her strong enough to shatter a Grimm's hide," Blake said assertively. "Unless you got a better idea, that's what I'm going with."

Ruby had no better idea, and Yang was much too tired to contradict anything. There was still the far more crucial matter of what they were even going to do with that information once they figured it out. It's not like they could just go out and tell everyone—most wouldn't listen, and those who would had no power to do anything about it. They were stranded, as far as Ruby could tell. The only real alternative option was to go out Grimm hunting, but as she had just spent the last five minutes chastising Blake and Yang about pretty much doing that exact same thing. And then there was also the matter of the woman made of glass that Blake mentioned, and her talk of experiments. She was the responsible party. That was the most likely situation. But all that did was raise more mysteries, and Ruby sighed at the mere thought of that.

The door to Goodwitch's office flew open, and with sudden fervor, Weiss stormed out of the room, Winter shouting after her.

"Weiss, please!"

Weiss did not respond or even glance at the others as she walked by. Winter followed behind, moving no faster than a strut, but desperation cracking over her otherwise expressionless face. Ruby quickly peered inside the office, and Professor Goodwitch was merely resting her forehead on the table, unable to deal with the nonsense around her; then, she and the others made haste to follow.

"Bastard… that bastard…" Weiss muttered, frantically wiping away tears with her palm. The hallways blended together, and the sound of her sister calling after faded into white noise, but she maintained enough of a sense of herself and her surroundings to make it back to her room within minutes. She wasn't there for very long, only stopping briefly to pick up her sword. When she went to leave, Winter appeared in the doorway, but Weiss simply shoved her way past and continued down the hall, navigating the massive maze of the school until she found herself approaching the main entrance.

"Weiss, whatever you are about to do, you will regret it!" she shouted in vain. Weiss simply walked faster, and the party of women behind her had to break into nearly a run in order to keep up with her.

When Weiss walked outside the main gates of the school, she didn't give a shit about how cold it was, or that snow had finally begun to fall in Beacon, or that her hand was trembling so uncontrollably that her weapon nearly slipped from her grasp. All she gave a shit about was that Atlasian Aircraft parked at the tip of the road, just before the edge of the world—the very one that she had seen out of her bedroom window every day since she was ten.

It was so pretty and perfect.

How many tens of millions did that machine cost?

She approached it, her growls and sobs mixing into her heavy breaths. She pointed her sword toward it and pressed the button at the base of the hilt. A black glyph appeared underneath the aircraft, and it spun faster and faster and _faster_ , and Weiss pulled back her sword, and she screamed.

But Winter grabbed her wrist and pulled it sharply, and the glyph stopped before anything could be moved.

"Let go of me! Fucking let go of me!" Weiss cried, clawing at her sister's hand. Winter stood there, taking it.

"This isn't going to solve anything," Winter screamed at her. Weiss struggled for as long as she could, but eventually, the words stopped coming out in any coherent manner, and Myrtenaster dropped from her hand and clanged on the pavement, and she fell to her knees, unable to keep herself together anymore.

"He can't… he can't do that… I won't…" Her voice cracked, and she hugged herself tightly, unable to stop all the remnants of emotion from pouring out of her. The rest of her team finally caught up, but they only watched from afar as Winter knelt down beside her sister, and pulled her in close for a hug.

"It's okay, you won't have to," Winter hushed her. "It's one trial, all right? You'll pass it and then you'll be done."

"He won't… I won't…"

"Stop crying. It's going to be fine." The two girls rested in the night, crying by the edge of the school as snow fell gently around them. Ruby shivered in her pajamas, but she stepped forward regardless of her shivers. Ruby approached hesitantly, but sensing her presence, Winter turned and cast her a deadly glare. "Can you please give us some damn privacy?"

Ruby stopped in her tracks. Schnees had the ability to break her into pieces. She wasn't the only one.


	59. Damned One

**Note: Wow, this Volume is inspiring us to get moving, ain't it? Sorry, this is another build-up chapter, but we spent these past two weeks doing a lot of internal developing for what comes ahead, and honestly, it seemed more appropriate to wait for the sixtieth chapter to do something so massive. So, thank you for your patience, and enjoy.**

* * *

 _Weiss had not the will to answer the rapping on the bedroom door; the silk blanket felt like anchors. Whitley let himself in regardless, clinging to the edge of the door like a lemur. Weiss's face was flushed, and he grinned._

" _Get out."_

" _Oh, don't be cruel," he teased. "I'm just here to check on my favorite sister."_

" _You aren't allowed to be in here anymore."_

" _I know, I know, but I couldn't help it," he said, taking a brief step inside. "When I heard about what had happened, I just had to see if you were okay."_

 _Weiss gripped her sheets tighter. "If you take another step closer, I'll—"_

" _Do what? Call Father?" Whitley asked smugly, taking another step forward, and then another after another until he was at the foot of her bed, running his fingers along the mattress's edge. "I don't think he'd really be in the mood for it all things considered… not after your little display today."_

 _Weiss's eyes flashed quickly to the door, but before she could move, Whitley took a seat beside her._

" _What do you want from me?" Weiss asked. Whitley cocked his head; she couldn't hide the fear in her voice if she tried._

" _I already told you, I'm here to see how you are. Well," he shrugged, "that and maybe give you some information you might be interested in."_

 _Weiss's shoulders relaxed, but only slightly. "What information?"_

 _Whitley checked his fingernails. "I may have overheard Father and Winter from inside his office. He couldn't keep his voice down. They were talking about you."_

" _What…" Weiss shuddered. "What were they saying?"_

 _Whitley cast her a cocky sideways glance. "Father thinks you haven't been trying hard enough. He thinks your application would have been accepted had you been more diligent in your studies. He says you need to prove yourself."_

" _What does that mean?"_

 _He threw himself back onto her bed, twisting himself into her sheets like wrapping himself in a second skin. His smile could be seen across Remnant._

" _He's going to make you run the God's Arm."_

 _It took all of Weiss's strength to not grab him by the throat._

" _You're… you're lying," she growled. "You're just trying to hurt me."_

" _Hurt you? I'm just telling you the truth," Whitley said with mocking passion. "He said you needed to prove yourself like a true Schnee, and that he himself would personally oversee the Trials. Besides, if I was trying to hurt you…" He rolled onto his stomach, propping his face up on his elbows. "We both know now that I wouldn't use my words."_

 _Weiss closed her eyes as if the world around her would simply vanish if she stopped looking at it. "No. He wouldn't make me do that."_

" _You would be the youngest Huntress in history to ever run it, wouldn't you?" Whitley noted succinctly. "For the record, I actually think you will make it to the second Trial. Winter was saying that you would fail out of the gate. Don't say I never had faith in you."_

" _This isn't happening," Weiss muttered. "This can't be happening. It can't be."_

" _I'm sure you'll find out later tonight," Whitley said as he sprung back to his feet. "Father said he wanted to begin testing you tomorrow, but since the preparations will take a few days, you'll probably end up going on Friday. That should leave you plenty of time to prepare." He noticed her skin turning pale—paler than usual—and he gently brushed a finger against her cheek, knowing that she was powerless to stop him. "Don't worry, sister. You will always have me to confide your worries in."_

 _He swooped in and kissed her on her forehead as her eyes became blank. With an elevated skip in his step, he left her bedroom, and then once the door was slammed shut, she instantly broke into tears._

* * *

"Weiss? Weiss?"

The ex-heiress snapped back at Ruby's call. Her blanket was wrapped around her, heavy and rough as she sat off her bed, a warm cup of coffee in her hands. Ruby and Yang sat on the floor by her feet, while Blake rested on her bed facing the far wall. The clock told them it was four in the morning, but whatever tiredness had manifested within them had long since been shuttered.

"I'm sorry. I was just…"

Weiss drifted off.

"So… _that's_ what your father wants you to do?" Ruby asked in disbelief.

Weiss bowed her head. "Yeah."

"That's insane," Yang stated. "She seriously expects you to be able to do that?"

"Of course, she doesn't," Weiss sighed. "No one has ever slain the God's Arm before. No one has ever even gotten close. A few throughout history have made it passed the Eighth, but nothing further."

"So, she just wants you to do part of it?" Ruby asked.

"The Trial I failed before. I need to demonstrate to Father that I improved since the last time I ran it. And if I don't…"

"He wouldn't do that," Ruby said quickly. "I mean, he has to be bluffing. It makes no sense. Why would he put so much effort into sending you to Beacon if he was just going to—"

"Because my Father wants a return on his investment," Weiss said harshly. "If a project isn't giving him the results he wants, he abandons it. That goes double if he thinks those resources can be better utilized…" Weiss grimaced, her knuckles turning white on the cup of coffee. "… _elsewhere_."

The room became still for a long moment. The covers slid gently down Weiss's back and she didn't have the will to pull them back. It was Yang who broke the silence, leaning back against her palms and choosing her phrasing carefully.

"So, your sister," she said slowly, "has she also… done this God's Arm thing?"

"Most professional Huntsmen have," Weiss answered. "She did remarkably well for someone of her age. Made it to the Fifth Trial before—" She closed her eyes. That day was so long ago, but the images never faded: Winter Schnee, alone in a white room, tears streaming down her face, her torso penetrated twice, her right arm gashed, her left leg shattered, and blood pooling out of the stumps where her other two limbs used to belong. "She made our family proud. Better than I ever could."

Ruby pushed herself back to her feet. "Well, it's not too late. Maybe we can—"

"No," Weiss said forcefully. "She wants me to run it this week. There isn't any time to train for it, and even if there was, there's nothing that I could learn that would help me. I'll just have to do it the hard way."

"Then," Ruby struggled, "we can at least be there to support you. You've improved so much since you came to Beacon. I'm sure you'll manage to beat it. Right, Yang?"

"Yeah," her sister agreed. "You're going to kick ass. You're Weiss Schnee, the…" She paused momentarily. "You're the Awesome Auraless Huntress of the North. What's one stupid Trial compared to that?

The Awesome Auraless Huntress of the North said nothing in reply. She merely took a long sip of her coffee and stared emptily at the floor between them.

"Hey, Weiss, tell me something."

Blake's voice cut the tension of the room like a knife. She rolled over to face the others, letting the moonlight cast itself over her expressionless face.

"What?" Weiss asked dryly.

"Why is it called that?" asked Blake. "The God's Arm—who came up with that name?"

Weiss pursed her lips. "The God's Arm was named by its creator: a man named William Saeva. A great warrior who wanted to test his allegiance to divinity the only way he knew how."

"Neat trivia," Blake said snidely, "but why is it _called_ the God's Arm?"

Weiss scowled. "Because that's what it feels like your fighting against."

* * *

There was a whole lot of pomp and procedure that Ruby did not understand about the God's Arm. She heard nothing of the matter for a long three days from Weiss nor the professors, she was left to ponder about the details of the Atlasian ceremony during class hours, which remained uninterrupted. None of the other students seemed to even be aware of the Regent Commander staying on the premises. The only hint she was given came in the form of a brief announcement by Professor Port that the combat arena that they often used for training would be closed temporarily due to "pipe leaks." That, and of course, the occasional sounds of airships flying by in the dead of night, delivering _something_ that the elder Schnee deemed necessary.

Weiss was silent as a mouse, but Blake was surprisingly active, taking the time one early morning to thrust her laptop in Ruby's face and show her the results of an intensive online search.

"Nothing at all?" Ruby asked in disbelief.

"Nope. No videos whatsoever," Blake confirmed. "You would think for a ritual hundreds, if not thousands of years old, someone would have taken a video of it by now."

"Are you sure you checked everywhere? I don't want to say it, but there might be certain video sites that we're not supposed to visit that might have it. Not that I would want you to—" Ruby stopped rambling when she noticed Blake staring dully at her, and she laughed uncomfortably. "You already checked those, didn't you?"

"Only the most likely suspects," Blake clarified. "Still nothing. Just a lot of torture and sex videos."

"Wait, do you mean torture videos _and_ sex videos, or videos of sex where people are also tortured?"

"Yes."

After Ruby decided to never speak to Blake again, she mostly dropped the subject. Anytime she attempted to bring up the topic to Weiss, the ex-heiress shut her down quickly and went about her normal week as if nothing had ever happened. It was a sign to worry about other things, like an upcoming research paper about the history and application of maneuver warfare, or the fact that she hadn't yet made plans on how to return home for holiday break, or—oh, how could she forget—her sister being a psychotic lunatic going around behind her back picking fights with major criminal organizations for fun.

It was _fun_ that motivated Yang. Ruby was relatively sure of that. Was her sister kindhearted? Undeniably. Was she noble? Of course, she wasn't. She recalled a conversation with Yang after the pair of them had finished watching a police movie, and Yang was startled to discover that a large portion of their job, and by proxy, the job of a Huntress, was paperwork. She swore that Yang almost dropped out of her training academy the very next morning. It didn't bother her. It _shouldn't_ have bothered her. Yang was always going to be Yang, and sure she was infuriating, and sure she could have caused her and their dad an unfathomable amount of grief, and sure she was stupid and reckless and spiteful and a danger to herself and others…

Yang didn't say anything to Ruby either for those three days. And that meant for three days, Ruby was alone.

It was early on Saturday morning when Weiss pulled Ruby aside. Yang and Blake were off in the library, and Ruby was tempted to join them when Weiss called to her. The bags under her eyes were thick and her nose was beet red, and her voice carried with it a near drunken sullenness that Ruby was unfamiliar with. Her glare, however, was just as stark as ever.

"The God's Arm is tomorrow," she explained. "I need Witnesses."

"Witnesses?"

"Six of them," Weiss stated. "When the ceremony of the God's Arm is performed, there have to be six people ascribed the role of Witness. Traditionally, the person running the God's Arm selects those closest to them to bear witness to the Trials. But I…" She rubbed her eyes and sniffled. "I don't really _have_ anyone close to me here."

"Oh…" Ruby said awkwardly. "I mean… you have at least three from us. I'm sure we can—"

"No, we don't," Weiss said. Her faced scrunched up as she struggled to get the words out. "I don't want… _dammit_ … I don't want Blake or Yang there."

Ruby's eyes went wide. "Wait, what? Why not?"

"You know why," Weiss said clearly. "I'd never be able to get Yang to stand by and watch something like, and Blake… why _should_ I bring her?"

"Because she's worried about you."

"Is she? Really?" Weiss doubted.

"I mean… I think. She doesn't say, but she's been trying to learn more about this. That has to count for something."

"So she can chastise it," Weiss said confidently. "That's all Blake does. Since I've met her, all she's ever done is mock me. She insults my faith, my Kingdom, my morals, my Soul Lapse—she's not going to get to watch me struggle and fail and then use it for more ammunition. She doesn't get that privilege."

"But…" Ruby just sighed. What could she even say to defend Blake anymore? She was coming to a revelation that the issues between them were likely never going to be resolved, at least not while they were still breathing, and Weiss had enough stress without having to worry about Blake judging her every single move. But Yang? She didn't know about that. Yang could be overexcited, but she would be respectful enough. More so, she was worried about Weiss all the same, and it would be a sick form of cruelty to have something occur that was so crucial and purposely exclude her very own sister because she didn't have faith in her. "Fine. I'll tell Yang and Blake they can't come."

"Thank you," Weiss said graciously. "I would do it myself but… I just can't deal with that drama right now, you know?"

"Right," Ruby nodded sadly. "But then we still need five other people to join as Witnesses."

"And you wouldn't happen to have any ideas for who to ask?"

Ruby thought about it carefully. Five people Weiss could consider close. Truthfully, it didn't take her nearly as long as she thought it would to come up with the names. And Ruby when said her idea out loud, Weiss reacted expectedly.

"Wait… seriously?"

"I mean, they would count, wouldn't they?"

"Ruby, I haven't spoken to them in months," Weiss explained. "I doubt they would even care."

"Of course, they will. They're cool people," Ruby said hopefully. "Besides, you just said you needed Witnesses. If all they are going to do is stand there and watch, what's the problem?"

The pain that appeared in Weiss's eyes was enough to wipe Ruby's confidence away in a moment.

"So… bearing witness isn't actually _all_ you have to do," Weiss clarified. "There's also some minor ceremony involved, and one of the things you have to do can be uncomfortable."

"What… kind of ceremony are we talking about?"

Weiss grimaced, gently placing her hand over her mouth as she selected her words carefully. "How okay are you with… controlled bleeding?"

Ruby shook her head. "I'm sorry, what?"

"There is a short procedure that the Witnesses have to do before the God's Arm begins," Weiss clarified. "Part of it involves taking a small knife to your thumb and—"

 _Bleeding_. "No. No no no," Ruby said as fast as she could. "You know I… I mean… I-I can't do that. Not with blood not with—"

"Ruby, please," Weiss begged. "I need your help. I know asking complete strangers is hard, but you—"

"What would happen if you couldn't find anyone though?" Ruby theorized. "I mean, if you can't do the ceremony right, maybe they would delay the God's Arm. Then you would have time to train and—"

" _Ruby_ ," Weiss said desperately. She couldn't even bear to look her teammate in the eye anymore. "I know this is hard. It's hard for anyone. And it's awkward, and painful; I get it. But tomorrow I have to do this and I… I need this to be done properly, and I _need_ someone I know to be there. That's… you."

Ruby sighed. Honestly, what could even say to that?

"Okay. I'll do it," she said, forcing out a smile. "What are teammates for if not…" She cringed. "… _bleeding_ for each other?"

The corners of Weiss's lips twitched upwards, and her shoulders slumped as the tension released from them. "Thank you. Again. That means a lot."

"It's fine," Ruby insisted, tucking her thumb into her palm and clenching it. "It's going to be harder to convince them though. I'll try to pull some favors."

"Oh, you don't have to do _all_ of that," Weiss stated. "I just wanted you to tell Blake and Yang. I should—"

"No, I'll take care of it. As you said, you have enough to worry about right now."

"What are you planning on telling them?"

Ruby answered simply. "That they need to help a friend."

* * *

"You look cute when you care."

"I don't care."

"Yeah, you do?"

"What could possibly give off the impression that I care?"

"Because instead of saying anything for the last five minutes, you've been looking shit up on your laptop about the things you supposedly don't care about."

Within the vast maze of bookshelves that made up Beacon Library, Blake and Yang had set themselves up at a small table on the second floor. The idea had been that they were going to study together. With the winter air came a necessary change in setting, and Yang didn't mind so much as long as she got to spend some time alone with her maybe-potential-but-probably-not-girlfriend. Of course, that was dependent on Blake talking to her from across the table, but her partner's focus was directed primarily at her laptop, where Yang could not confirm what she was seeing, but had a rather large hunch that the material had something to do with a certain upcoming trial.

"First of all," Blake responded, "not talking to you is my favorite thing to do."

"Obviously," Yang smirked.

"Second, research doesn't mean that I care—at least not about Weiss. I like to stay informed about the things happening around me, especially if they center on shitty religions doing shitty things to others."

"Well, _first of all_ , I totally called it," Yang said proudly. "Second: bullshit. You care."

"Weiss could die tomorrow, and we need her to help our grades. Again, not caring. I'm just being practical."

"You know what's even cuter than you caring? Pretending that you don't," Yang cooed.

Blake rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

Yang stood up and strolled casually to the other side of the table, leaning over Blake's shoulder. "So, what have you learned during your not caring?"

"That the Faith of Decum Luna sucks. Aside from that, no specifics," Blake grumbled. "The only thing I can figure out is that the God's Arm requires some kind of summoner in order to work. I guess that's what Winter is for?"

"I guess," Yang sighed. "Hey, hate to be serious for a moment, but since we're talking about Winter, she didn't bother you too much, did she?"

"Why would she bother me?" Blake said, her eye still glued to the screen.

"You know, because of the whole _super racism_ thing."

"Super racism?"

"You got a better term?"

Blake shrugged and shook her head. "No, I don't care."

"Are you sure?" Yang asked sincerely. "Because I know those types of things bother you."

Blake delicately took Yang's hand and pulled it away from her, ambivalently looking up at her friend. "Winter is a Schnee, which means everything that comes out of her mouth is garbage. Now, if someone like _you_ said those things, then I would feel something. Get it?"

"Yeah. Gotcha," Yang agreed. There was a violent buzz that caught Yang off-guard, and in surprise she glanced at her Scroll, vibrating on the hard wooden table. Curious, she walked back to her seat and picked it up, reading the new message she received out loud. " _Yang. Bad news. I think you won't be able to come to God's Arm."_ She stared at the message, unblinking. "The fuck?"

Her fingers moved swiftly against the screen.

 _What's wrong_

"Ruby says you can't be at the God's Arm?" Blake questioned.

"That's what the text says. Hold on," Yang said hesitantly. After a moment, three small dots appeared on the screen, and Yang waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. Then, the dots vanished, and she waited, and then they reappeared, and then after a bit more waiting, a block of text materialized, which Yang read irritably. " _Supposedly, there are laws in Weiss's faith that says that the God's Arm an only be witnessed by those of the same faith. You are allowed one exception, which is—"_ Another block of text appeared and pushed the original out of the screen, and Yang groaned as she scrolled up to return to it. _"Which is going to be me because I'm the quietest. I tried to argue but Winter refused and I don't know what to do. I am so, so sorry. Tell Blake that Weiss wishes she could be there because Weiss says she would love to prove Blake wrong again. Wish her luck."_ Yang placed her Scroll back onto the table, and leaned back in her chair, stewing angrily. "Well… that's a load of bullshit. Like, seriously? Seriously? We can't be there as our own teammate fights for her life?"

Blake sat silently for a long moment, staring at her laptop and the limited information on Decum Luna she could find, and then pulled out her Scroll and pulled up Ruby's contact. "Yeah... about that." She returned a message in silence.

 _Ruby, no hard feelings. Nice touch with the whole Weiss wants to prove me wrong. You're getting better. I'm so proud._

* * *

"Are the preparations to your liking?" Goodwitch asked softly. Winter stared out over what used to be the training grounds and nodded in approval. "Good, then you are ready to proceed?"

"I believe so," Winter stated firmly. "I've never actually overseen this before. It will be a unique challenge."

"Yes, I'm sure," Goodwitch agreed, bringing her finger up to her chin. "And I must thank you for being willing to finance these accommodations. The Schnee-Saevas are extraordinarily generous."

"You are very welcome, although it is natural given the circumstances," Winter pursed her lips. "After all, if I'm going to try to kill my own sister, I might as well bear all the burdens."


	60. God's Arm

**Note: Well, this has been a long time coming. Sixty chapters of LUBYP over nearly two years. It's been an outstanding time, and what a better way to celebrate this occasion than by releasing an extra special double-lengthed chapter! Honestly, this as supposed to be even longer, but with finals coming up and RWBY V7 now releasing regularly, we decided to break it up into more manageable pieces. Plus, we don't want you to have to sit through an ungodly amount of fanfiction at one time. That would be cruel.**

 **Also, this chapter was incredibly difficult to write. Not just because of all the action, but because of all of the time that had to go into building the background details. Creating a religion that exemplifies the core ideas of fascism from scratch is surprisingly very difficult. We really wanted to make this chapter something that felt grand, and we think we are happy with the result. This has honestly been far more stressful trying to make sure we satisfy people than it has any right to be, especially for something that we started writing just because we wanted a fun way of passing the time. We really hope you enjoy this. That being said, any comments would be greatly appreciated. It's 4:15 AM and we have to study for taxes; your words would be appreciated.**

 **Oh, and we may have taken some _tiny_ creative liberties with the concept of summoning.**

 **Oh, and one last note: this story is about to get _fucking nuts_. Enjoy.**

* * *

 _In the Beginning, there was Darkness, and then there was Un Luna._

 _A Being of Pure Light, Un Luna wandered amongst Eternal Darkness for thousands of years, her Existence drenched in loneliness and sorrow. The white energy radiating off her body shone upon nothing, and she set out to create that which absorbed and reflected her Endless Beauty._

 _Her First Creation was a massive Sphere of dense Material. She constructed water which shimmered and pulled towards her in yearning, and mountains so great they nearly kissed her in the sky, and fire, raging and violent and full of her passion. She snapped her Fingers and into existence came colors, limitless and majestic, each containing a shred of the Essence that radiated throughout the Goddess's Form. Her breath became the wind, and her touch became tremors, and when she was finished, she wept in joy at her Creation, and her tears formed the stars._

 _Her Second Creation was Life, capable of worshipping and appreciating all that she was. Trees bearing fruit, animals of every size and shape, and lastly, life capable of intelligence and reason: the Race of Man. Un Luna's light cast upon these creatures, and seeking shelter from the shadows of the World, they crawled into her Light and pledged Eternal Loyalty unto her. She loved them as her Children, and allowed them to worship her and give their love to her in exchange for her Brightness._

 _But Time passed, each day bringing more worshipping and praying that kept her tethered to the needs of the Humans, begging her for drink and praise. Un Luna soon grew tired of nurturing the greedy lot that was bound to the Soil, seeking to free herself from her shackles. To remove her burdens, she summoned her Energy and sought to make a final Creation: another Light through which the Humans could find fulfillment. But her disgust of her own followers warped and twisted her powers beyond her control, and when she summoned her Third Creation, she was horrified to look upon it: a massive entity of Flame and Passion, burning so brightly that it diluted her Great Light. Its Size and Beauty was beyond her comprehension, and when the Humans flocked to it for its warmth, she felt immediate and sizeable regret. She tried to lure the Humans back into her graces, but she was ignored and discarded._

 _Lost and covered in great shame, Un Luna could no longer bear the misfortunate of a being more revered and prestigious than her, and in her disgrace, she chose to end her own existence, rather than live in sheltered dishonor in the Light of the False God. She pooled her rage and fury and erupted into Infinite Pieces, the force of her Destruction shaking and distorting the world, as her Corpse was left in the sky for all to gaze upon and despair. Yet, as Light, her being could not truly die. Her life was splintered and fractured, divided into pieces and taking on new forms, each full of her Sorrow and Beauty, and each containing a Remnant of what she once was._

 _And thus born, they were Decum Luna: The Ten Aspects of the Shattered Goddess._

* * *

The fabric clung to her skin like a vise. It covered her entire body, save for her head and her hands, embracing her in a thin white sheath. She dragged her thumb over her forearm; the tears from last time had been sewn shut and the blood thoroughly washed out, leaving the only marks of red being the dye on her collar and shoulder blades. She wore no accessories, not even her pendants. She felt naked without them.

She stood solemnly in front of the door to the training room, her blade held in her left hand. Two figures stood beside her, women with hollow cheeks dressed in white robes, their bowed heads shaved and heavy pendants draped from their necks. The shape of a widen eye—The Mark of The Dreamer. She did not speak to either of them, but their long and sudden travel from Atlas occupied her thoughts. The burdens of a dreamgazer were heavy, maybe even heavier than hers in a strange way. But whatever struggles they might have had, their faces were stoic. They had someone else to mourn for that day.

A bell rang faintly in the distance. Midnight. A gentle chill traveled down her spine. The dreamgazers looked at each other, and then calmly walked towards the door, opening it for the young woman. She stepped inside. Under normal circumstances, she would have been greeted with the sight of the empty chamber where she trained and fought every week. She wasn't. Winter had been busy over the past few days. The immediate area beyond the door was sectioned off into a small room, glowing with candlelight. It was barren save for things of note: a wide, silver bowl filled to the brim with water, and on either side, lined against the walls away from her, the six Witnesses stood straight, arms at their sides, casting her sideways glances. She recognized Ruby and Velvet the furthest away from her, dressed nicely and failing at showing the concern on their faces. The other four—they followed their instructions appropriately. Surprising for her former teammates.

Pyrrha Nikos. Lie Ren. Nora Valkyrie. And the other one. John Something. She had spoken to them in total how many times in the past few months? She could recall a handful. But when Ruby asked, they accepted easily. That was what she was told, at least. Nora, eagerly. Ren, naturally. John, hesitantly, and Pyrrha? The better one? She had said nothing, but there she was, hands clasped behind her waist, adorned in vest and blouse, staring back at her with an almost matching expression. The two dreamgazers stepped to either side of the bowl and gave her a passing nod.

The left one spoke. "Let she who seeks to prove herself wash her hands clean." The room was silent as Weiss approached the pedestal, leaning her sword against it, and gently dipped her hands into the water. She pressed her palms together and brushed them firmly against each other, scrubbing for a few seconds before removing her hands and drying them on a towel hanging on the side of the pedestal. She placed it down, picked up her weapon and followed the guide of the dreamgazers to the first of her witnesses on her right side. She planted her feet and stood before Nora, who smiled cheerfully at Weiss until she noticed the lady in the cloak staring disappointedly at her. Still, her enthusiasm never faded even as the older woman began to talk.

"The Trials at hand are those which are sacred to the Faith of Decum Luna. It is the screed of the Gods that only those who follow closely in the Aspects' footsteps may have the privilege of taking part in the ceremony. However, an exception for those may be accepted under circumstances that they be sworn to utter secrecy, and they be granted privilege by that which has taken the Trials previously and can vouch for their integrity and good nature. Nora Valkyrie, do you swear to uphold the values of the Faith and protect the integrity of the God's Arm?"

"Yes, ma'am," Nora said with a proud nod. She muttered under her breath. " _Love_ me some secret ceremonies."

"Weiss Schnee, do you vouch for Nora Valkyrie as Witness?"

"Yes, I do," Weiss said simply.

"Nora, please extend your hand," the woman instructed, and Nora did thusly. The woman extracted a small curved blade from her robe and turned over Nora's hand before bringing the knife to her thumb. Without so much as a warning, the hooked edge sliced into her skin, and Nora hissed as a thin slit was carved into her flesh. When the blood flowed freely, the dreamgazer took that finger and she brought it to Weiss's face, and then, very gently, she dragged it down the center of her forehead, painting her red as she recited prayer. "Let those who seek knowledge have their thoughts cleansed by the Will of the Gods, for to be in their Grace is to have purity of mind."

With the prayer finished, the dreamgazer released Nora from her grasp, and Weiss spoke nothing as she turned and walked to the opposite side of the room, where Ren and the other dreamgazer awaited. She planted her feet before him, and he stared calmly back at her.

"Lie Ren, do you swear to uphold the values of the Faith and protect the integrity of the God's Arm?"

"I do."

"Weiss Schnee, do you vouch for Lie Ren as Witness?"

"Yes."

"Extend your hand." Ren did not flinch as the blade dipped into his flesh, and his thumb was dragged across Weiss's face, this time beneath her right eye. "Let those who seek peace have their sight cleansed by the Will of the Gods, for to be in their Grace is to have seen no evil."

With the act complete, Weiss moved further down the room, towards John, or Jaun, or whatever his name was that she could never remember. He trembled under the watch of the dreamgazer.

"Jaune Arc," said the dreamgazer, "do you swear to uphold the values of the Faith and protect the integrity of the God's Arm?"

"Uh… yes? I guess?"

"Weiss Schnee, do you vouch for Jaune Arc as Witness?"

She hesitated.

"Weiss Schnee, do you vouch for Jaune Arc as Witness?"

Weiss stared straight through him. The corner of her mouth twitched. "Fine."

Jaune cringed as the dreamgazer took his hand and whimpered as his thumb was cut open. She took the wound and dragged it across the back of Weiss's left ear. "Let those who seek truth have their hearing cleansed by the Will of the Gods, for to be in their Grace is to have listened to their teachings."

Then, there was the perfect one.

"Pyrrha Nikos, do you swear to uphold the values of the Faith and protect the integrity of the God's Arm?"

"Yes."

"Weiss Schnee, do you vouch for Pyrrha Nikos as Witness?"

"Yes."

Pyrrha didn't flinch. The blood crossed the back of Weiss's hand from knuckle to wrist. "Let those who seek honor have their touch cleansed by the Will of the Gods, for to be in their Grace is to have fought with virtue in their name."

Weiss stepped before Velvet, and her eyes immediately drifted to the top of her head. Her hair was neatly tied back, but more notably, her rabbit ear headdress was nowhere to be seen. She looked nice without it. For a brief moment as the dreamgazer looked away, she flashed a sweet smile and mouth something: _Hi._

"Velvet Scarlatina, do you swear to uphold the values of the Faith and—?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Weiss Schnee, do you vouch for Velvet Scarlatina as Witness?"

Weiss simply nodded. Velvet took a deep breath before her flesh was pierced, and the dreamgazer brushed her thumb against Weiss's throat. "Let those who seek legacy have their body cleansed by the Will of the Gods, for to be in their Grace is to have committed oneself to them."

And then, there was Ruby.

When Weiss stood before her, her teammate didn't regard her with any of the purpose or hesitation or even reassurance of the others. There was only this somewhat pained looked on her face, and a noted reluctance to look her in the eye.

"Ruby Rose," the dreamgazer said for the final time, "do you swear to uphold the values of the Faith and protect the integrity of the God's Arm?"

Ruby simply glared at the dreamgazer like she was a monster. For an eternity, she said nothing. "Sure. If she wants me to."

Weiss felt a twinge of guilt hit her, but swallowed it down before it could hurt.

"Weiss Schnee, do you—"

"Yes. I do," Weiss muttered. "Let's… let's just get this over with."

The dreamgazer showed no offense to the ex-heiress's comments. She followed the ceremony as usual, taking Ruby's hand and extending out her thumb to draw blood. Before she could, Ruby closed her eyes tightly shut and pulled her head away, and Weiss heard her breathing grow heavier as the knife pierced her. Her shoulders hitched up and her mouth curled inward as her finger was brought to Weiss's face and, very gently, her blood was brushed against the surface of Weiss's lips.

"Let those who seek resonance have their lips cleansed by the Will of the Gods, for to be in their Grace is to have spoken their Word and let it flow unto them, and become them."

Weiss shuddered as Ruby's finger left her. With the eyes of the Witnesses upon her, she walked to the door at the end of the room, placing her palm upon it. The dreamgazers bowed, and she took a deep breath, knowing the horrors that awaited her on the other side. The warpaint was warm as it trickled down her face. She placed her free hand upon the metal and pushed it open. There was no training room anymore, or at least not one she could recognize. There was instead an endless wall of white light circling around her, except on the roof, in which a large skylight had been installed and through which the moon gazed into the hall. A stage, ten feet higher than the ground, was erected proudly at the end of the room, on which ten candlesticks had been erected, unlit. There were other items as well: great basins filled with snow and soil, crystalline things which stuck out in symmetric patterns from the floor, inscriptions and glyphic pictures along the walls, and in the middle of it all, staring down at her—Winter Schnee, dressed the same as her sister, her icy blue eyes wide and focused.

Goodwitch was there, too.

As Weiss ascended onto the stage, the Witnesses were led to the viewing chamber still hanging above the theater. Though the dreamgazers remained by their side, it was as soon as the door closed behind them that the tension broke, and Nora immediately grabbed her thumb.

"Owwwwwwww," she cried, trying to shake the pain away. "Ow ow ow ow ow."

"Yeah, that… that hurts," Jaune sighed.

"Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" said Nora.

"Nora, you can heal cuts with Aura in minutes," Ren reminded her.

"I know that! But… _ow_!" Nora cried. She turned to the dreamgazers. "Hey, ladies, do you have any bandages or something?" They said nothing. "Hello? Ladies? Madames? Peeps?"

Ruby clenched her thumb tightly in her fist, trying to force out the pain. Pyrrha, however, seemed unfazed, walking up to the glass and looking intently towards the sisters in the theater.

"Pyrrha, are you okay?" Ruby asked, walking up beside her.

"I'm fine," Pyrrha said distantly.

"Are you worried about Weiss?"

"No. Weiss is a talented warrior. I'm sure she'll pass whatever test is intended for her."

"Oh. Okay," Ruby said, embarrassed. "You just looked a little off, that's all."

"I… apologize if it seemed that way," Pyrrha said, hanging her head. "I'm simply curious. It's not very often that you see a religion's secret reveal themselves for you. It's interesting, isn't it?"

"I guess," Ruby muttered under her breath. Her fist tightened as she Weiss came face-to-face with Winter. "I'm just preoccupied."

"Um, Ruby?" Velvet said worriedly, tapping her on the shoulder. There was less concern in her voice than confusion, and she pointed up at the skylight through which the broken moon glowed. "They're not part of the God's Arm, are they?"

It was actually funny that Ruby could be furious without even having to look up at the skylight.

In fairness, Blake wasn't expecting there to be a skylight. Her plan was to drag Yang through the ventilation system and spy on the God's Arm through there. It just happened that the vents leading into the theater had been shuttered, and in their quest to find another path in, they went up and over and noticed the big gaping hole in the middle of the school. Was there security? Naturally, but if Blake hadn't learned how to avoid them by that point, she would be pretty bad at what she did. She crawled on her stomach, peering over into the theater, while Yang sat along the edge of the skylight, simply gazing down below and frowning upon noticing the Witnesses glaring back.

"Oh, look at that. You were right," Yang said with casual disdain. "They invited Team JNPR. And Velvet. 'One exception,' my ass."

"I told you so," Blake said simply, trying to gather as much information on the stage as she possibly could.

"And I didn't believe you, because I'm a dumb cunt."

"Yes, but you're _my_ dumb cunt," Blake stated.

"Thanks, Blake. Does that mean we're dating now?"

"Nope."

"Cool," Yang shrugged. "So, God's Arm. Gotta say I'm not impressed."

"I don't think it's started yet," Blake noted.

"Still, you would think we could figure something out by now. What do you think it is?"

"I mean, based on everything we know," Blake began, narrowing her eyes, "It has to be a multistage battle against summons, right? Against Winter?"

"Oh, sweet. Sister punching," Yang said with a forced smile and gritted teeth. " _My favorite_."

The words of her teammate were inaudible to Weiss, standing directly across from her sister. Winter did not greet her with any warmth or courage. They both knew what they were there to do. Weiss let her eyes drift down to Winter's hand. Uncovered by her uniform, the cold metal glistened in the moonlight. That type of cybernetic technology was exceedingly rare, far beyond the capabilities of the augmentations that had been implanted within her own body—but their father had his priorities straight, and was more than willing to pay the price to keep his little girl in pristine condition.

"Weiss Abailess Schnee-Saeva," Winter greeted her. "Welcome to the Amphitheater of the Aspects. These holy grounds were built as a shrine to the values espoused by the Gods, and it is on these grounds that you shall be tried for your skills in combat. I, Winter Travessa Schnee-Saeva, have been chosen to guide on you during your mission, and serve as the orchestrator of your test."

Weiss fought back a sneer.

"The God's Arm is a test of the highest order. Born from scripture and blood, it is the ultimate test of a Huntress, a challenge of strength and speed and tenacity unlike any other in this world. You will face the judgment of not myself, nor Atlas, nor the practitioners of the Faith, but by the Gods themselves. Those who desire to take themselves acknowledge themselves as unworthy in their eyes, and seek to change that preconception. Kneel." Weiss did as instructed, falling to a single knee and resting her sword beside her, closing her eyes. "Weiss Abailess Schnee-Saeva, do you acknowledge yourself as unworthy?"

Weiss bowed her head. "I do."

"Your Soul is their vessel; your body, their tool. Your existence is to spread their truth and glory. You are but the servant to their word. Do you acknowledge this?"

"I do."

"You are the child of the Knight. His truth is violence. His word is a sword. His glory is blood. Do you acknowledge this?"

"I do."

Winter spoke more forcefully. "Your name is meaningless. Your self is meaningless. Your life is meaningless. Honor brought to this life is only granted by honor of their choosing. Their choosing, under his blessing, shall be granted only through the slaughter of the enemies before you. Do you acknowledge this?"

"I do."

"This challenge…" Winter paused for a moment. "This challenge will only end upon its completion, the mercy of the summoner, or your death. Do you acknowledge this?"

Weiss opened her eyes. "I do."

Her voice dimmed. "Due to the nature of the God's Arm, the summoner's mercy can only be enacted upon the completion of a trial. As per the wishes of the dreamgazers and the scriptures of the Faith, I have been instructed to not employ the summoner's mercy. I will attempt, in my best ability, to act in accordance with this request. Do you… acknowledge this?"

Weiss grimaced. "I do."

"Weiss Abailess Schnee-Saeva, rise."

Weiss grabbed her weapon and stood tall, looking at her sister dead in the eye. Those eyes were tired. The stories they could tell would scar a hundred men, but at that moment, they merely looked back at her. Tired.

"You are about to run the God's Arm," Winter instructed. "There is no more turning back. Please return to the center of the Amphitheater, and prepare yourself for the Trials. May the Gods bless you on this night. Good luck."

Weiss nodded somberly. She returned to the center with her head down, but silent and determined. From within the Witnesses' booth high above the theater, concern grew when Pyrrha spoke up.

"I don't understand," she whispered, hands resting upon the glass.

"Hmm? What is it?" Ruby questioned.

"Winter is going to be summoning, correct?"

"I mean, she just said that basically," Ruby agreed.

Pyrrha pursed her lips. "Well, is the difficulty of this challenge not going to be dependent on her skills as a summoner? Clearly, Winter is going to be performing most of the work, but the challenge would get easier when someone untrained is controlling the enemy, correct?"

Yang raised an eyebrow. "So, you're saying Weiss has a good shot then."

"Technically, she should," Blake said with suspicion. "Whatever it is they are summoning, Winter doesn't have any experience with it. It should be just as much trouble for her to control it, which should make it easier for Weiss to win. It should absolutely make a difference. But…"

"Weiss hasn't brought that up before," Yang guessed, "meaning that she doesn't think it matters. Which is bad."

"Which is weird," Blake noted. "Have you ever seen a summoning Semblance before? Or a Semblance with familiars, or spirits? Winter needs practice controlling whatever it is she's summoning. So why isn't she—"

She stopped herself as Weiss stopped in the middle of the theater, and turned back toward the stage, positioning her feet and drawing up her sword, readying for battle. Winter steadied her breath, and extended both arms outward, closing her eyes tightly and lifting her face up towards the moon. On cue, Goodwitch followed her instructions: she walked calmly to the far left of the stage and brought her wand up to the candlestick by its edge. With a small flick, she lit the candle, and with a smirk, she removed herself from the stage and left through a small door to the side.

And it was at that precise moment when Weiss realized that she had lit the _first_ candle, that her composure shattered. She lowered her weapon, and her eyes went wide, and she let out a desperate, startled cry of, "Wait!"

But by then, it was too late. Winter screamed.

It wasn't resembling anything normal, but coarse and bloodcurdling, above and beyond her normal pitch. She fell to her knees in pain, clutching onto her head, her scream ringing throughout the theater and consuming everything in its path. A glyph appeared beneath her feat containing a strange image of indescribable complexity, and corruption seeped from its edges, spreading across the stage as the entire theater began to violently tremble. A low roar boomed underneath the tension, and from above, Yang had to be pulled off the ledge to avoid falling deep into the pit below. Weiss tried to find her footing, but her mind betrayed her as the reality of what was about to happen became clear. She was lied to. Perhaps not on purpose, not maliciously, but she was lied to. She was told she was going to be repeating the Trial that she had failed, but that opportunity seemed lost. It made crude sense. The God's Arm was a ceremony, and in no world would she be allowed to take shortcuts. She was in for the fight of her life. She was going to have to run it from the very beginning.

Winter's eyes shot open, but they had rolled into her head revealing only dead whites, and she spoke at Weiss with a candor not of her own, but of some _other_ , booming and evil and dense. **"Weiss Abailess Schnee-Saeva, we have accepted your challenge. Let the God's Arm commence."**

Her scream became an otherworldly wail, and from the skylight—and maybe even the moon itself—came a beacon of light down upon her, so bright and intense that it overpowered all else in the room, blinding Ruby and Velvet and JNPR in the Witness booth, and sending Yang and Blake scurrying away from the edge on the roof seeking cover, and illuminating Weiss and the blood of her friends that marked her face, glistening off it and pushing back her hair with a strong gust of wind that nearly took her off her feet. She stared hopelessly at the stage, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks as the grip on her sword slipped. When the light eventually faded, and the wind and noise stopped, Winter was no longer on the stage. Instead, there was something else: a frail-looking thing, small in stature and hunched over a bit so that one of its hands could drag along the ground. It was draped in a black cloak from head to toe, covering most of its horrid skin. In its hand, it swung a pickaxe, sharpened and thick, and its face was covered with a long gas mask, which was cracked and broken along one eye through which it cast a disturbing gaze towards the young woman daring to share the theater with it. The others stared at it—Ruby in horror, Pyrrha in amazement and shock, Blake in pure denial—as it directed its pickaxe at Weiss's head, and spoke in cursed tones.

" **Let the Trial of the Miner commence."**

The being leaned forward and wretched, and immediately, a powerful stream of smoke emitted from the mouth of its mask. Gallons of it, flooding like a tidal wave, enveloped the theater, casting the room into pure darkness, viscous and putrid. Weiss instinctively covered her mouth with her forearm, but the gas seeped into her mouth, and she quickly began to choke on its noxiousness. It spread into her eyes, and she fought back tears as she tried to look throughout the smoke, unable to see anything past the tip of her sword. Coughing and sputtering, she turned on her heels, waiting for what was sure to come next.

There was a sudden, sharp cry to her left, and she thrust out her sword at the last possible moment as a thing launched itself at her through the thickness, impaling itself on her blade. Dead against its hilt, she could see it clearly: a deformed goblin-like creature, skin stretched and haggard like burn scars, its face pulled back to reveal no eyes but a litany of razor teeth out of a lipless mouth, two large ears protruding out the sides of its enlarged bald skull. Its blood trickled down the steel and down her wrist and down into a puddle on the floor where she discarded its corpse with a thud. She knew its name: bergkwok. She was familiar with the stories that were told by those working in Schnee Dust mines about the monsters that dwelled in the dark pits of caves and feasted upon lost miners. They were urban myths created to encourage safe mining practices, only the thing by her feet was very, _very_ real. And if she was familiar with the myth, she knew that they did not hunt alone.

A claw latched onto her ankle from behind, and she let out a startled cry, stabbing her sword into its wrist to loosen its grasp before bolting off into the darkness. She stopped herself before she could venture in too deep, remembering her lessons from before. There were more of them out there, waiting for her. Ninety-nine, to be precise. That was her test: to slaughter them all before the toxic gas consumed her. She had to remain calm. She had already beaten the Trial once before. She knew its secrets. She could do it again. She just had to remember.

Another cry and another bergkwok leaped out of the darkness. She ducked under the swipe of its claw and jammed her sword up into its toothy jaw. Ninety-eight. It slumped over in a heavy mass as two more rushed out from behind it. She coughed violently as she stepped away from them, dodging their slow attacks as she struggled to find the strength to fight back. The gas coated her lungs. She felt it dissolve the inside of her throat. A creature slashed at her midsection, and she countered with a slash of her own, cutting through its belly. Ninety-seven. The other dove at her feet, but she rolled away and jutted back as it lay on the ground, piercing its skull. Ninety-six. She doubled over, her coughs hoarse. She felt herself dying.

How had she beaten it before? The gas penetrated her brain. She couldn't concentrate. She couldn't think. She clasped a hand over her mouth in desperation, but the gas was just too much. She needed to clear it, even for just a moment. She cycled through the chambers on Myrtenaster, and she slammed the tip of the sword into the ground, summoning two glyphs on either side of her. The glyphs rotated, moving faster and faster, pushing out strong gusts of wind that blew away the gas. It took far too long, and the pain in her chest and throat did not subside, but eventually, the darkness dissipated, and at least in the immediate vicinity around her, she could breathe and see again—see the orgy of writhing bergkwoks surrounding her in every direction.

She growled, cycling through to another form of Dust, and as the creatures began to slither toward her, her glyphs transformed and changed color. From their surfaces, a dozen arrows of light emerged, and they shot out, snaking in and out amongst the bodies, impaling any flesh that stood in their path. The bodies dropped quickly. Ninety-five. Ninety-four. Five more. Ten more. The bergkwoks fell. Her mind had cleared. That was how she had won the first time. The process was time-consuming and dangerous, but if she could keep her perimeter clear, she could use light arrows to clear through the masses. In a few moments, she would break through a clearing in the bodies and establish a new perimeter, and begin the push anew. It wasn't ideal; the type of Dust required to make it work was in short supply, but at least she had a chance. Just a few more. Seventy-six. Seventy-five. Seventy-four. Seventy-three.

Then there was a sudden rush of pain. From behind, one had slipped through the cracks, moving faster and smarter than it should have, and Weiss was knocked to the ground as the creature tackled her and bit into her shoulder. She fell onto her stomach and tried to recover, but the monster overpowered her, yanking its head back and trying to tear her flesh away from the bone. The glyphs vanished, and the cluster of monsters took eager advantage of the opportunity. Within seconds, the other bergkwoks regrouped and swarmed her, and their claws snatched onto whatever meat they could find flailing around in the open space. Three grabbed her right leg, another two grabbed her arm, and they sunk into her, not deep but crooked, and Weiss gasped out in pain as they pulled on her, trying to her tear her apart to eat her bit by bit. The beast on top of her loosened its jaws and then bit into her shoulder again, and she screamed as she felt the pieces holding her together begin to tear.

The Miner. It remembered. Her strategies from before—it knew exactly what she was planning. Those who took the God's Arm multiple times were expected to prove their worth repeatedly, and it was to be expected that a being as powerful and petty as a God would not like to be defeated by the same miserable Human more than once. She was completely trapped; though the enhancements in her limbs held her together longer than any normal person, she had no plan of escape. Even if she did somehow manage to break free, they were just going to trap her again. She wasn't even going to get the chance to make it to the Trial that first bested her. Wherever her father was, he was surely delighted.

" _Come on, you pasty-ass whore!"_

A voice entered her mind. A memory? Now?

" _I'd tell you to prove that you're better than me, but I know that's literally impossible!"_

 _Aqua held out her wrists as the wall of ice traveled towards her and stopped it in place. The wall broke into a hundred icy shards, and with twisted glee, the young Huntress launched the shards at Weiss, laughing as the ex-heiress shielded herself behind a single glyph. They had accepted the Challenge of the Honors so calmly, but it had quickly turned very wrong._

 _"Hey!" Weiss protested under the barrage. "I thought this was supposed to be a nonlethal battle?"_

 _"I will paint the walls red with your blood!" Aqua squealed in delight. She had successfully formulated a strategy of attack. Her opponent's ignorance of her had proven to be her downfall. Utilizing Cyrus's Semblance and Tia's artistic weaponry, she had Team RWBY exactly where she wanted them: separated and defenseless, trapped by a massive wall of flame, powered by poisonous love._

Weiss's eyes shot open. A spark lit within her. She wasn't out yet. The bites hurt, but she wasn't giving in again. Though the creatures pulled and tore at her limbs, her hand remained firmly attached to her weapon, and she was able to find the strength to pull onto the trigger and generate a final glyph directly beneath her: a vector. The glyph came to life, and she launched herself out across the room, the force of the blast knocking away the monsters trying to eat her. The one biting into her shoulder clung on, but not for long; as she approached the opposite end of the amphitheater, she rolled herself over, grinding the creature against the hard floor and releasing it from her flesh. As her momentum slowed, she kicked out her legs and rolled herself back onto her feet, sliding to a stop with the help of her sword before jamming the pointy end into the broken thing's forehead, recovering fully and stopping completely as the blood pumped out of her shoulder and down her chest.

Seventy-two.

Weiss was deep into the gas once again, but her memory was cleared. The Miner was the God of many things: labor, the underclass, the soil, and coal. But it was also the God of Dust, and the noxious gas that surrounded her was in part contaminated with the precious material that gave her family its legacy. Dust was a pure form of energy, naturally crystallized and ground, but highly fragile, ready to combust at a single spark. She summoned her wind glyphs again and pushed the substance away from her, but did not clear it out. She just needed space, and when that space was given so that the few meters surrounding her were clear of all chemicals, and she could see the scarred flesh of the bergkwoks poking out from the darkness, she recycled through the Dust cylinders until she found fire, and with a yell, she launched a single ball of flame into the encroaching mass before throwing up a large glyph to protect herself from what would come.

The darkness came to life, casting a violent orange glow over her figure as the gas exploded. The bergkwoks inside let out ghastly cries as they were ignited all at once, sizzling and charring inside the tremendous well of fire that lit up the entire theater. The heat could be felt even inside the Witness booth, and the students inside recoiled in shock. Even upon the ceiling, Blake and Yang felt the intense heat, and they had to lean back as the brilliance of the fire struck them. It burned for minutes, covering everything in the field until the toxic gas had been completely disintegrated, and then it extinguished itself in a final ball of light, leaving behind a field of grotesquely seared bodies on the floor. From her position on the far end of the theater, Weiss lowered her shield, observing the carnage, and her eyes eventually wandered back to the stage, where the Miner stood looking at her, unharmed, but eternally satisfied. It gave her a trusted nod, and then the bright light reappeared from the spotlight, consuming its form. It vanished from the room, and in its place Winter reappeared, panting on her hands and knees, struggling for breath.

"Nice trick, Weiss," she sighed with a smile. She pulled her hair free from its ties, and let it fall down into her face. "Are you okay?"

Weiss clutched the wound on her shoulder. It was on her nondominant arm, thankfully, but the adrenaline had not fully kicked in, and the amount of blood pumping freely onto her uniform was something to be concerned over at a later time. Apart from that and some severe soreness in her joints… sure. She was okay.

Within the Witness booth, Ruby watched with her hand clasped over her mouth. The others around her reacted much the same, too stunned to even process what it was they were supposed to be witnessing. Only Pyrrha remained calm, sticking close to the glass as she looked out onto the battlefield. In the one moment she dared to look away, Ruby noticed a harsh gleam in her gaze, and she thought she was mistaken, but she swore that Pyrrha had not blinked since the Trial started.

"So, uh… anybody _else_ horribly confused?" Nora asked uncomfortably.

"That's a lot of blood," Velvet stated grimly. "Is Weiss going to be okay?"

Ruby didn't have an answer for that. She couldn't look away from the damaged tissue. She felt almost nauseous, but the horror kept her from reacting more severely. She didn't understand much of anything—what it was that had absorbed Winter and forced those beasts upon Weiss. She only knew that when she saw Goodwitch take the stage again and light the second candle, things were about to become far worse.

As Goodwitch retreated from the stage, Winter staggered to the back, reaching into one of the large urn-like canisters and pulling out a handful of violet powder. She smeared a small portion of it onto the side of her metal thumb, and with a grimace, snorted the substance through her nose. She shook her head and grunted, clearing her mind as the chemical worked its magic on her biology, and returned to the center of the stage, throwing out her arms as she closed her eyes. Weiss took a readied stance, and then Winter screamed again, and the light returned through the skylight and enveloped the room, and then she was gone.

The thing that took her place floated above the stage, bobbing up and down in the empty space. It was at least four meters high and had skin of a deep blue hue. Its face was thin and long with dark, soft eyes, and a long mane of blonde hair floated up freely around its head. It dressed both lavishly and crudely—a suit of red and white pinstripes, two sashes of purple and pink crossing its chest, and pointy-toed shoes attached to legs that folded over each other in a relaxed pose. In its hand was a glass of wine, and it sipped its drink eagerly; when the beverage was pulled away from its lips, the wine had already refilled. Its voice was that of a delighted moan.

" **Let the Trial of the Reveler commence."**

The lights in the amphitheater changed again, the blinding whites spontaneously morphing into a rainbow. The room flashed, turning more colors than Weiss even knew existed, but she resisted the distraction as best as she could, focusing on the being that floated above the stage. The thing smiled at her efforts, and snapped its fingers, casually licking its lips. Two glyphs appeared on the ground floor, massive in size. Slowly, two great things rose out of them, a dull rattle entering the air. The masses appeared and never ceased, growing larger and larger until their bodies encompassed what seemed like the entire room. Weiss gritted her teeth as their forms became complete: two large frogs, orange and leather-skinned with blue gills on their sides. Their black eyes nearly touched the ceiling, and their large bellies pumped back and forth with every breath. They were royal toads, creatures that supposedly dwelled in the swamps of the Deadlands. It was said their blood could bring a high greater than that of any drug, a reward for those who could slay them. Two large collars were wrapped around their torsos, and connected to that, two golden chains which led to the clenched hand of the Reveler. It spoke again.

" **O, let thou of eager nature be subject to life's pleasures."**

The giant monsters stared at her. One of the toads opened its mouth, and Weiss's eyes went wide. She leaped hurriedly to the side as a torrent of liquid flew from its open lips. She avoided it narrowly as it splattered on the wall behind her, and she heard the intense _sizzle_ as the fluid started to melt the surface behind her. The other toad opened its mouth, and a spear-like glistening tongue launched forward like lightning. Weiss narrowly avoided that as well as it pierced into the ground and then immediately retreated, taking a small chunk of the floor with it. The two then worked in tandem, and Weiss summoned a vector glyph beneath herself to keep up herself mobile as their attacks ramped up with sudden intensity.

To a bystander, the Trial would have seemed so much easier than the previous one, but Weiss wasn't fooled. The toads' skin was impenetrable to her sword, and a single touch of their salvia could dissolve her flesh to the bone. She had beaten them before, but she had to be swift. First step: get in close. They had no efficient attacks at that range. From there? Mostly: pray.

As Weiss danced around the rapid long-range attacks of the toad, and the room's colors became more and more chaotic, Yang looked up towards Blake, whose face wore an expression Yang wasn't entirely sure if she had ever fully seen from her teammate before: complete and utter denial.

"Hey, Blake? Blake?" Yang asked frantically. "You're seeing this, right? Like, I'm not imagining this?"

"I… I don't…" Blake stuttered. "That summon… how is it so powerful?"

"I don't think that's a summon," Yang stated nervously. "I think that's—"

"No, no it isn't," Blake insisted. "I know what you are going to say, but you are _wrong_. I know it's not acting like a summon, but that just means it's unique. It's a summon. It's just… _powerful_ and strange and—"

"I know, Blake, but," Yang said, glancing in fear at the thing floating above the stage, "maybe when Weiss's family summons things, they actually, you know… _summon things_? If she brought that thing here, doesn't that mean—"

"Yang, get a grip," Blake said angrily. "That thing is not an actual _god_. It can't be. It's impossible. The gods of Decum Luna aren't real."

"I mean, it _looks_ pretty fucking real to me, Blake!" Yang shouted, pointing at the Reveler. "You're the atheist, so if you've got a scientific explanation for how a simple Semblance is doing all of _this_ , I'd fucking love to hear it!"

Blake didn't respond. There was an explanation as to what she was seeing, but she couldn't grasp it. She was transfixed on the reality of the theater seemingly warping before her very eyes, and for just a moment, the Reveler glanced up at her, and it gave her a loving wink. She stiffened against the roof, her body failing her. The Reveler turned simply back to the task at hand.

Weiss made her approach cleverly, using vector glyphs to propel herself at unexpected angles across the room. She zig-zagged in quick succession, blasts of acid sailing over her head. She found an opening between the toads, and with a path clear, she launched herself towards it, jumping over a barbed tongue as she landed in the space between them. She cycled through to another variant of Dust, and jamming her weapon into the ground, sending out a wave of ice along the ground beneath her feet. The ice coated all things within its path, crawling up the legs of the toads and incasing their limbs. She didn't need it to pierce their skin, or even hold them in place for very long. They were mythic animals, but they were still toads, and like all amphibians, they were cold-blooded. A sudden decrease in the surrounding temperature was all it took to shut down to their biological functions. It was how she won the last time: cooling them down to the point where they were unable to move, and then striking them when they could not act. It was a long strategy, but an effective one.

Too effective. She glanced hurriedly behind her towards the stage, where the Reveler hung upside down in midair, grinning at her wickedly. It knew her, and that meant she wasn't getting off easy.

" **O, thou of royal kin, thy passions speak volumes. Won't thou engage in the splendor of the flesh?"**

In a flash of purple smoke, the Reveler disappeared. Weiss looked frantically around the theater, searching for it. When she found it, it was hovering outside of the Witness booth, sitting in the air cross-legged. The toads began to tremble, and from their gills, small grey worms—no bigger than a finger—slithered out by the hundreds. Weiss panicked as they rushed towards her, unsure of what they were or where they came from, and she launched herself up onto the stage in order to avoid them. With the pressure released from the ice, the toads pushed off with their powerful hind legs, and jumped free from their prison, landing on the far side of the room with a loud croak and an earth-trembling thud. The Reveler laughed in delight.

" **Let the worms penetrate thy body. Give into the splendor of the flesh."**

"Splendor of the flesh?" Weiss hissed. A thought raced through her of its possible meaning, and with it came a deep horror that sprung her into action. The worms slithered onto the stage, moving far faster than their tiny bodies should have allowed, and she launched a ball of fire into the mass, only to watch in despair as they slithered through unharmed. She created a platform underneath her feet and raised herself into the air to escape. The worms swarmed beneath the platform, crawling over each other in desperation to reach her, writhing and mating within the tiny pool of the blood that had formed by her feet as it dripped out of her wound. She was so distracted by their orgy she almost failed to notice the stream of acid sailing towards her head. She ducked beneath at the last moment but failed to think about the acid splattering on the ground behind her, and a few, tiny droplets splashing up and kissing the back of her thighs.

Weiss let out a pained gasp and dropped to her knees. The few drops could not cut through her skin, but they burned more intensely than she could have imagined. She instinctively reached toward the wounded muscle but stopped herself before she touched it. She hardly had the time to worry about it before she heard a loud croak and saw another spit of acid flying toward her. The platform beneath her became a vector, and she threw herself across the stage. Her legs crumbled beneath her on the landing, and she tumbled to the ground as the swarm of worms hurriedly chased toward her. Sensing them coming, she stuck out her sword, and selected another Dust type: her rarest one.

Lightning Dust was not something that should have been taken lightly. Though she could talk to Ren and Nora, and they would talk on and on about its simplicity and its effectiveness, they could not provide a clear picture of its power. They were only familiar with the small charges one could find in Dust shops around the city. Hers was raw and purified, and most importantly, exceedingly dangerous. She carried enough with her for a single use; it was all that her body was likely to handle. Utilizing it would certainly finish off the toads and the worms, but she had planned to save it until the third Trial. Yet as the worms drew increasingly closer, and the hungry fervor of their chattering maws grew louder, she realized she didn't exactly have a say in the matter. She pointed the tip of her sword at the cluster of worms and pulled the trigger.

And then a tongue struck her unexpectedly in the leg, and it yanked her sharply, causing her to drop her weapon as it dragged her toward its gaping mouth.

Oh.

"Weiss!" Ruby shouted in panic, banging harshly against the glass. "Weiss, do something!" She pounded relentlessly, helpless as Weiss was pulled kicking and screaming toward the jaw of a hungry toad. The other Witnesses watched in equally stunned horror, only able to watch the ex-heiress's ineffective, panicked flailing. The colors, the creatures, the god—it was like a nightmare she couldn't escape from. She didn't understand what the point of any of it was. She wished she had brought her weapon with her so that she could cut Weiss free and end that stupid Trial once and for all. She realized she never should have gone along with it in the first place. She was going to watch Weiss die, and there was not a damn thing she could do about it.

Ruby was unaware that her screaming and pounding brought attention to herself until she looked up and saw the blue-faced God staring deep into her eyes. Its expression was lifeless like it was staring at a ghost, and it did so much as move as it watched her. She scrambled away from the glass, flustered and startled, and the booth fell silent save for the sound of her heavy breathing. The being moved closer, pressing its massive cheek against the glass, and spoke delicately.

" **Silver eyes…"**

It snapped its fingers. Suddenly, the world came to a halt. Weiss, nearing the toad's mouth, suddenly found herself stalled in place, the creature frozen in time. She looked up at the booth in terror as she saw the God press its index finger against the glass, and then, with nothing more than a simple _push_ , destroy the boundary between it and the Witnesses. Weiss and the others watched powerlessly as it reached in and Ruby, too frightened to move, was plucked from her spot and brought out into the open air. She was never tall by any standard but compared to the God which dangled her freely by the arms, she was but an infant.

" **Silver eyes… my bride. Thou hast been lost to the stretches of time."**

"W-What?" Ruby screamed, trying to wriggle herself free.

" **I have found thee. Claimed thee. Our love is eternity."**

Weiss, confused and desperate, pulled as hard as she could against the tongue, using all of her strength to free the sticky barbs from her skin, but she couldn't. She could only stare as the Reveler started tossing Ruby up in the air, twirling her around like a ragdoll, the young Huntress too scared to resist.

"Hey! Put her down!" she shouted, but the God merely laughed and flew across the room.

" **Thou know not of my longing. Millennia apart, and now, my silver eyes and I unite again."** The God continued playing with Ruby, spinning her around in its arm like a crude dance. Weiss seethed, slamming her fists into the ground.

"You... you can't do this!" she shouted. "This is _my_ Trial. Leave her out of this."

 **"Trial?"** The Reveler chuckled. **"Thou hast violated the principles of the God's Arm. Thy Witnesses are unallowable."**

Weiss did not understand. Unallowable? She never would have tried to betray the rules of the Trials. Never. But the Reveler, sensing her disbelief, merely pointed up to the skylight, and Weiss followed its direction until her gaze settled upon her two teammates staring at her from above, frozen in fear. Her heart shattered.

"No..." Weiss whispered. A sob caught in her throat. They had been there the entire time, hadn't they, tainting everything with their presence? It had let her continue out of what? Entertainment value? The Reveler was a God of theater and chaos, lust and art. Of course, it was playing with her, promising her victory all with the intention of snatching it away. What else should she have expected? It snickered with delight, and snapped its fingers. Two golden chains shot forth from nothingness, firing up to the sky, and before they even had time to react, Blake and Yang were ensnared within the chains, shouting out in surprise. It coiled around their torsos and arms, stripping across their mouths to silence their pleas for freedom. They were suddenly yanked down into the room and stopped hard in mid-air, dangling helplessly from the ceiling as the God held out its arm in a grand gesture.

 **"Those who violate the Will of God shall face divine punishment. So say the Lords of the World."**

They exchanged glances with Weiss, their fear palpable, and she was overcome with a powerful dread as the tears fell from her eyes.

"Please... don't..."

It smirked, and then snapped its fingers, sending Yang and Blake hurtling helplessly toward the gaping jaws of the toads. Ruby called out, but the God wrapped its large grip around her chest, cutting off her air and forcing her to watch as her sister and her teammate shot across the room, faster than anything could intercept.

Almost anything.

Pyrrha launched herself out of the Witness booth like a rocket. The redhead, adorned in a blouse and a skirt and high heels, threw herself into the battlefield with a powerful cry. The God did not see her until it was too late, and even then, it was far too amused to interfere. With no chance to save both, she targeted the person closest to her, and opened her arms to catch her as she sailed with perfect accuracy. She slammed into Blake hard, knocking her off course, and the pair slammed into the ground together, rolling to a painful stop on the floor. Blake, groaning and in agony, looked up at the last moment, just in time to watch Yang, bound and screaming, fly into the awaiting mouth of the giant royal toad, swallowed in one satisfying bite.

Chaos ensued. Nora and Ren looked at each other for a second, and then leaped down into the amphitheater as well, rushing beside her friend. Velvet looked at the dreamgazers, their faces stoic and unmoving, and then at Jaune, taking his hand despite heavy protest and jumping down into the pit with him by her side. They gathered by Weiss's side, and though they were lacking weapons, they were as fierce and determined as any Huntsmen and Huntresses could be. Pyrrha began working on freeing Blake from her chains as the young woman stared distantly at the giant toad that had taken her friend from her. Weiss shuddered, fighting back tears as she collapsed.

"Stop... all of you, just stop..."

The Reveler laughed, pulling Ruby close to its chest. **"Thou dare to challenge my will. Thou will face the ultimate judgment of Decum Luna."**

The God snapped its finger, and there was a sudden, intense burst of white light that covered the room. The students recoiled, and Weiss's last thought before it overtook her was how she wished whatever punishment awaited her would come swiftly. Somehow she doubted that was the case.

She had failed her royal test.

The real Trial was about to begin.


End file.
